In Azerbaijan, court listened to oppositional activists detained on April 2

The Sabail District Court in Baku listened to the defendants' speeches at the hearings on the case of six opposition's activists accused of violating public order at an unsanctioned rally which was held on April 2 at the centre of the Azerbaijani capital.

Babek Gasanov, the defendant, said at the interrogation that he had been detained on April 6 under the pretence of invitation "for 5 minutes" to the police station of the Sabail District, where he had been held for 2 days. According to Gasanov, during this time he was given only a cup of tea and two biscuits, and he had to sleet on the table.

Answering the question of the Public Prosecutor Vugar Gadjiev, what slogans he had shouted at the rally, Gasanov said that he had failed to say anything, because he had been at the rally during one minute only, since the rally was very quickly dispersed by policemen.

"But, I would be glad to say much. First of all, I would say "no to corruption and of the bureaucrats' tyranny!" I'm a veteran of the Karabakh war, and, with my family of five persons, I have no shelter and have to live in a rented apartment. I would protest against it. I would demand to put an end to tyranny and unemployment, to create normal conditions of life for the people," said Gasanov.

He called the charges to have been fabricated. "I could be equally accused of the Kennedy's assassination," the defendant has noted.

Elshan Gasanov, a member of the "Musavat" Party, was the last defendant who spoke at the court hearings. He also denied the charges. "I believe that, by participating in the action, I was doing my civil duty. I have repeatedly appealed to the different state agencies to get a job. But I failed. I have health problems; however, due to the fact that I do not give bribes, I cannot get registration as a disable person to obtain a disability pension," he said.

The judge appointed the next session for July 29. The defendants left the courtroom under the slogan "Freedom!" which was chanted by the members of the public support group.