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Protesters are unhappy with the court proceedings

In May-June 2017, the trial of several groups of people accused of torture against hundreds of soldiers in Tartar is ongoing.

But the victims – the tortured soldiers, as well as the family members of those who lost their lives as a result of the Tartar incidents – are dissatisfied with the court proceedings.

The victims held a protest in front of the Presidential Administration on November 22.

They say that in December 2021, when the investigation on the “Tartar case” started again, unlike before, they thought that this time the truth would be revealed and the guilty persons would be punished. However, they saw that they were wrong during the process.

The victims claim that the prosecutor’s office, by conducting a formal investigation, kept the real culprits, the high-ranking officials who were in charge of what happened, out of responsibility.

According to them, the panel of judges of the Baku Military Court, chaired by Zeynal Aghayev, consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Rafig Abbasov, continued the process in the same form.

On November 22, when a protest action was held in front of the Presidential Administration, a large number of policemen were also involved in the area.

They did not let the protesters go to the Presidential Administration.

About 100 meters away – in the park around the “Icherisheher” metro station, the victims expressed their protest.

Valida Ahmadova, the mother of military serviceman Elchin Guliyev, who lost his life as a result of torture during the Tartar events, said that the officials who played a major role in this crime are still on duty today:

“Two years have passed since the investigation was renewed, but Tartar’s killers are still at large. Our sons who lost their lives there were not given the name “martyr”. No matter how many motions we filed in court, none of them were granted. After the investigation was renewed, what did we see? The head of the investigation team, Gasim Mammadov (he is also the deputy head of the Investigation Department of the General Prosecutor’s Office) resorted to all kinds of fraud to keep the criminals out of responsibility and to justify the murderers. He personally faked my child’s video. The court continued the same games. The prosecutor’s office and the court protect the murderers.”

Valida Ahmadova demands that the President or the First Vice-President receive the victims and hear the issues that concern them:

“I live in the frontline. For 30 years, bullets rained on our heads. I took care of the soldiers at the front with my hands, I bandaged their wounds until the doctor arrived. My slain cub brought them food. They tortured and killed my child, whom I raised under the bullet, whom I did not bother to wake up when I slept, and the murderers are also at large. Today they protect those murderers. Teymur Mammadov, whose position was increased after the events in Tartar (he was the commander of a military unit in Tartar), killed my son by hitting his head with a stick. Karim Valiyev, who was there during the tortures, directly witnessed the killing of our children, and played a role in this crime, was promoted and made the Chief of the General Staff. Until May 5, he was at the scene of the incident in Tartar. He also participated in these crimes. It was proven in court that Minister Zakir Hasanov and Najmeddin Sadigov gave direct instructions through video conferences. Who protects these people? Military Prosecutor Khanlar Valiyevi, his deputy Shafahat Imranovu?”.

Leyla Gurbanova, the mother of Suleyman Kazimov, who lost her life in the Tartar events, is also dissatisfied with both the investigation and the court.

According to him, his child’s internal organs exploded as a result of torture. There is also an expert opinion on this:

“Why don’t they charge the perpetrators with murder? They tell us that there was no intention to kill, so Article 120 (intentional murder) of the Criminal Code cannot be applied. If there was no intention to kill, would they have tortured like that?”

Ravana Ojagverdiyeva, the wife of another soldier who lost his life, Ruslan Ojagverdiyev, says that if the prosecutor’s office did not summon and interrogate General Hikmat Hasanov, who directly led the tortures in Tartar, who was the corps commander at that time, and if the court rejects the petitions, there can be no question of any investigation.

He emphasized that President Ilham Aliyev is also responsible for what happened.

“I believed in the investigation before. But later I saw that they are deceiving us. I said there that if Hikmet Hasanov was not interrogated, why did you call me here? Today, if the Tartar killers are outside and the President is silent about it, then he is also involved in this process. I was 28 years old when I lost my family. My children grew up on his doorstep. Why? How long will you protect those who made us unhappy – Khanlar Valiyev, Shafahat Imranov, and the investigators involved in this crime?”

Natavan Gafarova, the wife of lieutenant colonel Saleh Gafarov, who lost his life during the Tartar events, said that her husband served flawlessly for 22 years. Therefore, he has many orders and medals:

“Employees of the Gabala District Police Department are taking the lieutenant colonel. He is taken on May 4, put into a coma from torture. His nails were pulled, he was put in a buckle, he was put in his mouth, drowned in water and tortured. The thighs were full of holes. Why are murderers not punished? Why is this ignored?”.

Nizami Guliyev, the father of Temkin Nizamioglu, who lost his life in Tartar torture, believes that the culprits should be charged with articles 120 (intentional murder) and 274 (treason) of the Criminal Code.

According to him, he made many motions during the investigation and in the court, but none of them were granted.

“Zakir Hasanov, Najmeddin Sadigov, Hikmat Hasanov, Teymur Mammadov, Khanlar Valiyev – all are in office…”, – Nizami Guliyev emphasized.

Protesters say that the renewal of the investigation had only one benefit – 19 of those who were arrested as a result of the Tartar events and sentenced to long prison terms on treason and other serious charges, were acquitted and released even after 5 and a half years.

They claim that many people are still in prison on false charges.

Ofelya Gasimova says that her son Elshen was sentenced to life imprisonment.

According to him, his son was subjected to unimaginable torture:

“He was subjected to all kinds of torture. He walks with a limp. The son, who died in the April battles, is being labeled a “traitor of the country”. My child has been oppressed for 7 years. On August 17, I attended the reception of Chief Prosecutor Kamran Aliyev. He told me that you will receive an answer in a month. Why do they lie? Why don’t they put people instead of people?”.

Ruslan Farzaliyev, who was tortured in the Tartar incidents, says that he wants the President to accept them and hear the truth:

“He himself said that when you face corruption and illegality, give me a signal. We have also arrived, we are 100 meters away, we are trying to give a signal. But no one hears us.”

Mushfiq Ahmadli, who was arrested as a result of the Tartar events, sentenced to 16 years in prison, and acquitted in December 2022 after the investigation was renewed, is currently recognized as a victim in the courts of those accused of torture.

He is dissatisfied with the course of these trials:

“The trial is not being conducted properly. Why were Khanlar Valiyev, Shafahat Imranov, Karim Valiyev, Zakir Hasanov, Najmeddin Sadigov, the investigators of the Military Prosecutor’s Office exempted from responsibility, who tortured their own Azerbaijanis? In the Tartar Military Court, Kamal Aliyev sanctioned me and chose preventive measures. His son Vatan Aliyev also conducted my work as an investigator. Later, they gave his son a high position in the Prosecutor General’s Office. Is this justice?”.