ISLAMISTS DEMAND THEIR FORMER LAWYERS

The Baku Grave Crimes Court continued the court hearing on the cases of Azerbaijan Islamic Party leader Movsum Samadov, and six others. Judge Eldar Ismayilov presided over the hearing. Judge Eldar İsmayilov announced that because the defendants refused their lawyers in the last hearing, and no new lawyers were hired, the court has hired lawyer for them at the expense of the state. However, the defendants refused the lawyers provided by the court, on the basis that they believe the court is unfair, and is following a political directive. Defendant Rufulla Akhundzade expressed his objections, saying that “the violation of our rights damages Azerbaijan’s international image“. “We had no problem with our original lawyers. We refused lawyers and refused to participate in the hearing in protest against the unfair court proceedings,“ said the Islamic party chairman. Movsum Samadov said that he intends to reopen a contract with his previous lawyer if the hearing cannot be held without a lawyer present. The judge said that this impossible and inadmissible under current legislation. He also said that they had been informed about this in advance. However, defendants said that they had not been made aware of this. Eldar Ismayilov accused the defendants of intentionally prolonging the court hearing. Nonetheless, the Judge, with a view to giving the defendants time to build an effective defence, postponed the hearing to September 12th. On January 2, 2011, at the Azerbaijan Islamic Party General Assembly, Movsum Samedov criticized the government for banning headscarves in schools, and called it a blow to the integrity of the Azerbaijani people. Shortly after, Samadov and 9 other party activists were arrested and charged with attempting to seize power, the establishment of an organized criminal group and illegal possession of weapons, and other charges.