Rufat Safarov denied transfer to house arrest

A Baku court has begun hearing the case of human rights activist Rufat Safarov. At the preparatory hearing, he was denied transfer to house arrest. The hearing on the merits is scheduled for July 14.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, on December 3, 2024, the executive director of the human rights organization "Line of Defense" Rufat Safarov was detained in Baku and arrested the next day. The appellate court upheld the decision on the arrest, despite the arguments of the lawyers about the groundlessness of the criminal prosecution and the health problems of the human rights activist's father. On May 31, Safarov's arrest was once again extended.

A preparatory hearing was held today in the Baku Court of Grave Crimes on the case of Rufat Safarov, executive director of the human rights organization “Protection Line.” At the beginning of the hearing, the court granted the motion to remove Safarov from the glass cage and allow him to sit next to his defense attorney, lawyer Elchin Sadygov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Unfortunately, this was our only motion that the court granted. We also asked to terminate the criminal case on acquittal grounds or at least transfer Safarov to house arrest, but these motions were not granted. Safarov claimed that the criminal case was falsified. It is noteworthy that the person recognized as the victim did not appear in court," the lawyer said.

According to him, the hearing on the merits is scheduled for July 14.

An employee of the Baku Court of Grave Crimes confirmed to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that a hearing on Safarov's case took place today. Representatives of the prosecution were unavailable for comment.

Rufat Safarov is a former investigator of the Zerdab District Prosecutor's Office. In 2016, he was sentenced to 9 years in prison on charges of repeated bribe-taking. Safarov did not admit guilt, stating the political nature of the case. Before his arrest, he submitted a letter of resignation in disagreement with government policy. In March 2019, Safarov was pardoned. A year later, he and his associates founded the human rights organization "Line of Defense."

Rufat Safarov carried out and organized most of the work of "Line of Defense," and with his arrest, the organization's capacities have been reduced, the human rights activist's colleague Zafar Akhmedov stated in December 2024.

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