Jailed Azeri opposition leaders’ trial postponed due to defendants’ absence

ANS TV, Baku
10 Jun 04

Presenter Opposition members who staged mass rallies in protest
against the October 2003 presidential elections in Azerbaijan and
who are being charged with organizing mass riots, did not appear in
today’s session of the court which was to investigate their case. The
process was adjourned until tomorrow 11 June.

Correspondent, over archive footage of trial The trial at the Grave
Crimes Court into the case of opposition activists, Democratic Party
of Azerbaijan Secretary-General Sardar Calaloglu; the Musavat Party
deputy chairmen, Rauf Arifoglu, Arif Hacili and Ibrahim Ibrahimli;
People’s Party of Azerbaijan Chairman Panah Huseyn; Hope Party Chairman
Iqbal Agazada, and the chairman of the union of Karabakh war veterans,
Etimad Asadov, who are accused of organizing mass actions and riots
in October 2003 in protest against the outcome of the presidential
elections in Azerbaijan, was postponed even before it started. The
reason was that the defendants refused to attend the trial as they
did in the latest preliminary sessions.

To recap, the defence lawyers stopped their activities since their
clients officially dismissed them at the last session. The lawyers
appointed by the state were sitting in the courtroom today. Only
the Musavat Party deputy chairman, Rauf Arifoglu, signed a contract
with his former lawyer, Samad Panahov. Judge Mansur Ibayev said the
session could not be conducted without the defendants and announced
an adjournment until tomorrow. The judge said that if the defendants
were absent for invalid reasons, then they would be forced to attend
the sessions.

Leyla Hasanova, ANS.