Khadija Ismayilova’s petitions aimed at delaying trial

Another court session on the criminal case against Khadija Ismayilova was held at the Baku Court of Heinous Crimes August 18.

Judge Ramella Allahverdiyeva chaired the session.

During the trial, Ismayilova made several requests.

At first, she protested against the composition of the court and submitted a petition to change it. However, the judicial panel rejected this petition by calling it unfounded. The judicial panel added that no case of excluding the judges from the trial were determined.

Earlier, Ismayilova signed some contracts and documents about payment.

She petitioned for these contracts or documents, if any, during her activity in the Baku bureau of Azadlig radio to be attached to the files of the criminal case.

State prosecutor Ramazan Hadiyev said that there are enough documents among the files of the criminal case and therefore, the petition must be rejected.

The court rejected Ismayilova’s petition.

Then Ismayilova petitioned for journalists Ramal Huseynov and Elchin Zahiroglu to give testimony at the court.

The judge said that a sufficient number of witnesses gave testimony and there is no need for other witnesses.

Moreover, Ismayilova petitioned for psychiatrist Araz Mansurov, who treated Tural Mustafayev, to give testimony.

The public prosecutor said that psychiatric examination was appointed during the preliminary investigation, and there is an application on the mental state of the victim in the criminal case, and therefore there is no need of additional testimony. The state prosecutor has asked to reject the request.

This request was also rejected by the court.

Then the victim's lawyers made a petition for the inclusion of documents on tax audits conducted in the Baku bureau of the Azadlig Radio in 2010, sent from the ministry of taxes, in the criminal case.

The public prosecutor said that there are documents covering the period from 2008 to 2014 in connection with the tax audit and asked to reject the petition.

The court rejected this petition as well.

Then Khadija Ismayilova asked the court to allow her time to invite the victim to the process, as well as to meet with her lawyers.

The state prosecutor said that all petitions of Ismayilova are unfounded and aimed at delaying the trial.

The judge granted Ismayilova the time to meet with her lawyers, and the trial was adjourned.

Ismayilova was arrested under the article 125 (incitement to suicide) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

Then, new charges were brought against her under the articles 179.3.2 (large-scale misappropriation and embezzlement), 192.2.2 (illegal entrepreneurship), 213.1 (tax evasion) and 308.2 (abuse of official duties) of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code.

/By Trend/