Defense Claims Unjustified Restriction of Attorney Gahramanov's Rights by Investigation

Zabil Gahramanov

Attorney Zabil Gahramanov, who is currently held in Ganja City Detention Center No. 2, has had his rights to visits and telephone conversations with his family restricted.

This decision was made by Rashad Suleymanov, an investigator of the Ganja City Main Police Department.

The lawyers appealed the prohibition in court.

The complaint was considered on November 14 in the Ganja City Court.

According to Gahramanov's lawyer, Saadat Seyidli, the court dismissed the complaint.

The defense considers the court's decision "unjust and biased" and intends to appeal, the lawyer said.

"It is not clear from the investigator's ruling on what grounds Zabil Gahramanov's right to visits and telephone conversations was restricted.

Communication with family is one of the fundamental rights of a detainee, and very serious arguments must be made to restrict it. Unfortunately, the court also did not deem it necessary to justify its decision," the lawyer noted.

Another of Gahramanov's lawyers, Nazim Musayev, said that investigators often abuse the law and unreasonably restrict the rights of arrested persons to visits and telephone conversations.

The courts contribute to these abuses by not satisfying complaints against investigators exceeding their authority, the lawyer added.

"If the investigator knows that his unjustified decision will still be overturned by the court, he will not restrict the rights of the arrested person. When the investigator is confident that the judge will not overturn his decision, he acts arbitrarily, at his own discretion. Therefore, the norm of law granting the investigator such a right should be eliminated altogether," Musayev noted.

Gahramanov was detained on October 23, allegedly for inflicting bodily harm on a person at a car wash.

The Ganja City Court chose a measure of restraint in the form of arrest for a period of 3 months against lawyer Zabil Gahramanov on October 25, his relatives reported.

Gahramanov is charged under Articles 221.2.2 (Hooliganism committed with resistance to a representative of authority or another person) and 178.2.4 (Fraud committed with infliction of damage in a significant amount) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. Under these articles, Gahramanov faces a penalty of up to 7 years of imprisonment.

The lawyer rejects the charges.

Previously, Gahramanov's legal practice was suspended.

The Presidium of the Bar Association made this decision on October 8, allegedly "for disciplinary violations" by Gahramanov.

Local activists believe that the suspension of Gahramanov's activity is related to his social media posts about police work in Ganja.

Gahramanov served as a defense lawyer in several well-known cases, including the case of Ilkin Suleymanov (accused of the kidnapping and murder of 11-year-old Narmin Guliyeva) and Polad Ismayilov (sentenced to 11 years for murder and subsequently acquitted four years later). He also represented the interests of Sahib Mammadov, Shahin Hajiyev, and other opposition figures.