Details added (first version posted on 13:56)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 7
By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:
The Baku Court of Grave Crimes hosted a trial August 7 on the criminal case launched with regard to Khadija Ismayilova.
The trial was chaired by Judge Ramella Allahverdiyeva.
During the trial, Ismayilova petitioned that after the meeting she had he opportunity to get acquainted with court protocols.
However, Judge Ramella Allahverdiyeva noted that it is against the law.
As the judge said, there will be enough time to get acquainted with the protocols during three days after the end of the trial.
Afterwards Ismayilova's lawyers, protesting against the plaintiff's absence in the court session, made a motion to suspend the session and to continue it after the victim comes to the court.
But the judge noted that the plaintiff was informed about the time and place of the court hearing, but didn't attend it.
Allahverdiyeva said the judicial board made a decision on the plaintiff's participation in the court's next session in mandatory order.
Ramazan Hadiev, the state prosecutor, said that the continued court session without the participation of the plaintiff is not contrary to the law.
Then Ismayilova's lawyers submitted a petition for the defendant to leave her place behind a glass partition in the courtroom and sit near the defenders to hold the necessary consultations.
But the public prosecutor said that there was enough time for the consultations. Ismayilova's being in a glass partition is a preventive measure chosen against her.
In her turn, the judge said that the conditions will be created for the lawyers to hold the consultations with Ismayilova. The defendant's being behind a glass partition in the courtroom is important in terms of her security. Thus, this petition was also rejected.
Then Ismayilova's lawyers petitioned about withdrawing of the tax evasion charges. The public prosecutor said that the investigation was conducted in this regard and all charges were proved. Therefore, he urged the court to reject this petition too.
Ismayilova's lawyers said that Radio Azadliq's Baku office has an account at the International Bank of Azerbaijan. In this regard, they solicited the court to send a request to the International Bank of Azerbaijan in connection with the presence of the sample of signature associated with the bank account.
The public prosecutor said that the charges on a criminal case are proven, and there are bank documents as well among the materials of the case. From this perspective, there is no need to send the request, he said.
The public prosecutor read out the charges against Ismayilova. Then, the defendant testified and answered a number of questions of the state prosecutor.
The court session was adjourned, and it will continue today.
Ismayilova was arrested under Article 125 (bringing to suicide) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan Republic. Then, new charges were made against her under Articles 179.3.2 (misappropriation and embezzlement on a large scale), 192.2.2 (illegal entrepreneurship), 213.1 (tax evasion) and 308.2 (abuse of official duties) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan Republic.