Verdicts Read in Ismayilli Trial

The judge sentenced Ilgar Mammadov, chairman of ReAL movement to seven year, and Tofig Yagublu, deputy secretary general of Musavat party to five years.

On March 17 the Ismayilli Trial was concluded in Shaki Court of Grave Crimes. The judge sentenced Ilgar Mammadov, chairman of ReAL movement to seven year, Tofig Yagublu, deputy secretary general of Musavat party to five years, and 16 other people tried on the case to sentences between three and eight years of prison. In his interview with Meydan TV Fuad Agayev, Ilgar Mammadov’s attorney, said the decision would come back to the judge: “It was most certainly an illegal and unjust sentence. During the process we the lawyers, successfully proved the charges against Ilgar Mammadov and Tofig Yagublu to be fabricated.”

In the press release published soon after the verdict, the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan expressed their disappointment with the outcome of the trial. “While we welcomed the Azerbaijani Government’s decision to allow U.S. and other international observers to monitor the trial, we and other observers saw significant irregularities in witness testimony and court proceedings. Our observations lead to the conclusion that the verdicts were not based on the evidence and were politically motivated,” read the statement.

On January 23, 2013 Emil Shamdinov, administrator of Chiraq Hotel and his acquaintance Elmaddin Mammadov caused clashes by offending the local population in Shaki, Azerbaijan. The protesters burned the hotel and cars that belonged to the men. The day after the protesters demanded resignation of the head of the local government Nizami Alakbarov, who was subsequently removed from his position on February 14, 2013. In the aftermath, 20 people were arrested.

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