Defence claims torture of witnesses in "Nardaran case"

Witnesses in the "Nardaran case", who retracted false testimonies, "knocked out" of them during the preliminary investigation, were subjected to torture by policemen. This was reported by advocate Yalchin Imanov.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the trial in the "Nardaran case" was started in Baku on August 3. At the court hearing held on October 17, the sentenced Nardaran residents said that during the preliminary investigation, they were tortured to give testimonies against Talekh Bagirzade, the leader of the movement "Muslim Unity". At the court hearing of October 21, the defendants claimed ongoing beatings at SIZO (pre-trial prison).

After the court hearings at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes held on October 26, witnesses Valekh and Samir Abbasov was brought to the 14^th Sabuni District Police Department, where they were tortured with electric current for retracting false testimonies given during the preliminary investigation. This was stated by advocate Yalchin Imanov at the court hearing held on October 28.

According to the advocate, apart from Valekh and Samir Abbasov, other witnesses, residents of Nardaran and Mashtagi, were also brought to the police station. Yalchin Imanov believes that those witnesses, not yet questioned at the trial, were also forced not to retract false statements "knocked out" of them by investigators.

Talekh Bagirzade, the leader of the movement "Muslim Unity", has stated that it is unacceptable to continue the trial under conditions of pressure on witnesses, the "Contact Online INews" reports.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.