18:37, 23 January 2018

Azerbaijani politician Gezyal Bairamly sentenced to three years in prison

Gezyal Bairamly. Photo: press service of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) RFE/RL

The court has sentenced Gezyal Bairamly, Deputy Chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), to three years in prison on charges of smuggling. Nureddin Mamedli, a PFPA representative, and Samir Kazymly, a rights defender, indicate political motives of the prosecution.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Bairamly herself called her arrest a revenge of the authorities.

Ms Bairamly was detained on May 25, 2017, on her return from Georgia and arrested on charges of smuggling. According to Azerbaijani border guards, she had undeclared 12,000 US dollars on her.

"Gezyal Bairamly is another innocent victim... Authorities are surpassing all the borders by throwing even women behind bars," Nureddin Mamedli, the head of the Supreme Majlis of the PFPA, has noted.

In his opinion, Bairamly was arrested "for her work for the party and preparation of protest actions."

Gezyal Bairamly is on the list of Azerbaijani political prisoners, compiled by the Political Prisoners' Defence Centre, which includes 161 people.

Political motives in Bairamly's case are obvious, Samir Kazymly, the coordinator of the Alliance for the Protection of Political Freedoms, is sure.

"Well before the incident, she had been arrested, summoned to the police and received phone threats," the rights defender has explained.

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

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent