Another NIDA activist sentenced to 6 years in prison Shahin Novruzlu appealed to President Ilham Aliyev with a letter in which he asks for pardon.
“Mr. President, I, Shahin Ibrahimoglu Novruzlu, was born on 16 September 1995. I graduated from high school with excellent grades and continued my education at the financial and credit department of the University Odlar Yurdu.
Over the past year I have had many opportunities to look again at the youth way of life passed by me. I believe that to be convicted was the biggest mistake of my life. To fix this, I ask you for giving me a chance. Please pardon me, based on the principles of humanism and humanity, constantly followed by you. I want to note that until now I have never been a member of any political organization and will not continue as a member of any political organization. Dear Mr. President, I promise that I will continue to live as a worthy citizen of our country,” said in the statement Novruzlu.
In turn, the father of Sh. Novruzlu, Ibrahim Novruzlu told Turan that he has no information about the appeal of his son to the President.
However, he said that “this was already discussed over a long period.”
“Ultimately, this was going to happen,” said Novruzlu.
“I do not think my son was exerted physical pressure. I cannot talk about some things now. You can consider a lot. I do not approve of this. But be that as it may, it happened,” said I. Novruzlu.
After reviewing the letter from his son, I. Novruzlu expressed the opinion that he did not write anything about his changing his policy.
“Shahin talked to me earlier. He said he would not write a petition for clemency. He said that he is in no way guilty. Perhaps he was impacted or invited to do so,” said I. Novruzlu.
Returning to the question whether the AZN 94,000 confiscated from their home was returned to him, he replied in the negative.
In turn, the lawyer of Sh. Novruzlu, Nemat Kerimli said that last week he met with his client.
According to the lawyer, Sh. Novruzlu said that he is under pressure to write a petition for clemency, but he’s not going to do it.
“But if he did it anyway, I do not blame him. This is one of the forms of government pressure on activists to humiliate them,” said the lawyer.
In his view, this counteraction against the tactics of the authorities may be that all political prisoners immediately after sentencing would write statements for clemency, making it a routine.
N. Kerimli believes Sh. Novruzlu should be brought to tomorrow’s hearing in the Baku Court of Appeal. “As far as I know, he has not refused of the appeal and of me,” said the lawyer.
Earlier, the other convict in the case, the activist Bakhtiyar Guliyev also renounced the movement NIDA and appealed to President Aliyev for pardon.
It is interesting that in the correspondence between Novruzlu and Guliyev in social networks and their arguments on the topic of the possibility of using Molotov cocktails was used as evidence against all the eight men accused on the case.
And it is in the flats of these young people, according to the investigation, the Molotov cocktails were found.
At the trial, the young people completely denied the charges and said that after being detained and tortured they were deprived of the opportunity to meet with trusted lawyers.
These were the primary indications and basis for the arrest of other young people.
Earlier, another convicted young activist Elsever Mursalli withdrew from NIDA and PPFA, after which the appellate court reduced his sentence from 5 years to 2 years imprisonment.
* On May 6, 2014 the Baku Court of Grave Crimes recognized Shahin Novruzlu, Mammad Azizov, Bakhtiyar Guliyev, Rashad Hasanov Uzeyir Mammadli, Rashadat Akhundov, Zaur Gurbanly and Ilkin Rustamzadeh guilty of planning riots during the protest on March 10, 2013, illegal possession of explosives and narcotics, as well as disorderly conduct, and sentenced them to prison terms ranging from 6 to 8 years. Recall that Amnesty International has recognized all the convicted “prisoners of conscience”
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