January 23, 2009

Judge Shahin Abdullayev Infringes the Right to Public Trial

Pursuant to Item 1 of Article 6 of the European Convention for the
Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms to which the Republic of
Azerbaijan is a party «In the determination of his civil rights and
obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a
fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and
impartial tribunal established by law».

The public hearing implies a public trial with participation of the public,
mass media and international observers. However, on 23 January Shahin
Abdullayev, Judge of the Nasimi District Court, infringed the right to a
public hearing in the course of the trial on the suit of Interior Minister
Ramil Usubov against Leyla Yunus, Director of the Institute of Peace and
Democracy. The judge and then officials of the court demanded for 50 minutes
that the attendees abandon the court room stating the lack of seats for all
wishing to observe the trial. A small room of the Nasimi District Court was
deliberately chosen and half filled with police officers in citizens'
clothes. As a result, out of 60-70 people (mass media, NGOs and
international observers) who came to the trial no more than 20 ones were
able to stay in the room.

The trial lasted for at most 10 minutes and the judge stated that the next
hearing will be held on January 26 at 10.00 a.m.
Right after the trial some international organizations (International
Coalition of Women Human Rights Defenders, etc.) phoned the Nasimi District
Court (tel.: 440 33 38, 498 20 27, 440 20 19), Judge Shahin Abdullayev (mob:
050 200 72 77), and Faig Gurbanov, the Justice Ministry, in charge of
observing human rights (tel.: 430 10 71). They concerned why Judge Shahin
Abdullayev violated Item 1 of Article 6 of the European Convention, to which
Azerbaijan is a party, and why they attempted to hold the trial on the human
rights defender, which evokes a wide response not only in Azerbaijan but
also far beyond it, in a non-public regime.
Right after the telephone conversation with the representatives of these
international organizations the mentioned telephones were turned off and did
not answer any more.

Press Service

IPD

26 January 2009
                            Information of press service of IPD

26 January at 10.00 am  Shain Abdullaev the jude of Nasimi  district court
during the court prosedur  read   the dessigion  about  transferring the
lawsuit of Minister Interiaor Usubov agains Leyla Yunus to  the Jasamal
district court.

Dr.Leyla Yunus
Director of
Institute of Peace and Democracy
38-2 Sh.Badalbeyli str.
Baku- AZ 1014
Azerbaijan
Tel +99  412 447 56 95
Fax+99 412 494 14 58
mob 99 450 317 14 01
E-mail: ipd@online.az
Website: www.tt-ipd.org

 

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