After meeting with his client on June 21, Afghan Mukhtarli’s lawyer Elchin Sadigov, reports that, : “Mukhtarli was examined by a doctor, who said that the arrest had a serious impact on his health. He is suffering from, severe heart pain. However, I don’t know what the doctor will put in his official report.”
Sadigov added that Mukhtarli is prohibited from talking with his relatives on the phone: “I wanted to give the number of his wife to him, but I wasn’t allowed. Afghan Mukhtarli is being held in very restrictive conditions…”
The Penitentiary Service has not commented on Sadiogov’s statement.
Mukhtarli he was kidnapped on May 29 in Tbilisi, resurfacing in police custody Baku the next day. During the journey he was tied up and tortured; 10, 000 euros were planted in his pocket at the border.
According to information released by local law enforcement Mukhtarli was detained by officers of the State Border Service at 22:40 (local time) on May 29 in the Balakan district after illegally crossing the Azerbaijani border. At the time of his detention, Mukhtarli resisted police officers, say the authorities. During the search of his person, a large sum of money was found on him.
He now faces charges under Articles 318 (illegal border crossing), 206 (smuggling) and 315.2 (resistance or application of violence concerning the representative of authority) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. A number of international human rights organizations have published statements condemning the arrest and calling for his immediate release.
