Human rights activists speak in support of terrorist suspect

A press conference to defend rights of Dzhavashir Sadigov, who is charged under Article 216 of the Criminal Code (deliberately false information about a terrorist act), was held in the Baku Press Club yesterday, August 23. The press conference organizers' version is that Sadigov is accused of calling the US Embassy in Baku on January 26 and informing about a terror attack to be committed in front of the embassy in a week. In a day Sadigov along with his sister, Tarana Sadigova, was conveyed to the Nasiminsky district police department, where he was forced to make a confession. However his fault was not proved and he was released. A phonoscopic expertise was made at the same time. It confirmed the voice recorded on the tape did not belong to Sadigov. Nevertheless, officers of the Organized Crime Unit "stole" Sadigov on April 14 and notified his relatives of his detention only in a few days.

Leyla Yunus, Director of the Institute of Peace and Democracy, told Sadigov's fault had been proved neither in the course of investigation nor trial. Vidadi Makhmudov, Sadigov's lawyer, says there is no evidence against his client. Accusing Sadigov of ties with Al Qaeda, investigators do not adduce concrete evidence. Ms Yunus and Mr Makhmudov considered the Sadigov case "crying arbitrariness". Their version is that Sadigov's imprisonment is needed in order to report the "disclosure" of this crime to the US Embassy.

Dzhavashir Sadigov is threatened with imprisonment for the period from 5 to 8 years.