TURAN AGENCY: On the 18th of November the Court of appeal considering the case of 7 opposition leaders, accused for participation in 15-16 October events, concluded the work. However, the entire prognosis failed again when the court left the sentence of 7 opposition leaders in force. (21-NOV-04).
However on the 19th of November the sudden announcement of meeting in
the court caused the hope for a change of the case. It is was expected that the leaders would be released,or at least that their terms of imprisonment would be reduced. Thus, finding the accused guilty, the court confirmed the decision of
the Court on Grave Crimes, dated on the 22-nd of October.
Visit from Council of Europe
The AGO Monitoring Group of the Council of Europe were present in the court too. The 19th of Novemberthe Ago Monitoring group visited colony No 19 where they met Rahim Gaziyev and Bailov and the pre-trial isolator where they met Rauf Arifoglu, editor-in-chief of Yeni Musavat newspaper, and other opposition leaders.
Council of Europe Ago Group discussed observation of Azerbaijan’s commitments as CE member,the situation of political prisoners,registration of NGOs freedom of press and municipal elections in several meetings with the opposition parties and the human rights activists the 18th and 19th of November.
According to TURAN Agency the law on public television was one of the discussed issues, since the law does not correspond to CE standards. Human rights activists drew attention to the situation in the courts and the forthcoming elections of judges next year. Closure of Yeni Musavat newspaper was another theme. Members of the monitoring committee promised to raise all these issues with the Azeri authorities.
