A Ukrainian court has released an Azerbaijani opposition figure despite Baku's extradition request.
Opposition activist Bahruz Hasanli, detained in Ukraine at the request of Azerbaijani law enforcement, has been released from custody by a Kharkiv court. Popular Front Party members and the activist himself link the criminal prosecution to his political activities in Azerbaijan, pointing out that the fraud charges are unfounded. The Popular Front Party hopes that Ukrainian authorities will definitively deny the activist's extradition to Azerbaijan.
As reported by the Caucasian Knot, Azerbaijani opposition activist Bahruz Hasanli, a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, was detained on July 27 in Kharkiv at the request of official Baku in connection with a fraud case. Hasanli's associates linked the case against him to the criminal prosecution of PFPA activists, including party leader Ali Kerimli.
On July 30, the Shevchenkivsky District Court of Kharkiv released Azerbaijani opposition figure Bahruz Hasanli, who had been detained at the request of Baku, from custody, the press service of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), of which Hasanli is a member, told a Caucasian Knot correspondent.
At the same time, a PFPA representative indicated that legal proceedings in connection with the extradition request are ongoing.
"Today's court decision demonstrates that Ukraine approached this issue from a legal and human rights perspective, and ultimately, Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies will definitively refuse Hasanli's extradition to Azerbaijan, as he has committed no crimes and his prosecution is entirely politically motivated," said a representative of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan.
After his release, the activist himself issued a statement confirming that extradition proceedings had been initiated against him at the request of Azerbaijan, and that charges had been brought under articles of the Criminal Code related to fraud.
"From day one, I have stated, and I reiterate today: these charges are completely unfounded, fabricated, and purely political in nature. “Their goal is to punish me and silence me for my many years of socio-political activity,” reads a statement by Bahruz Hasanli, published on his Facebook account*.
According to Hasanli, after his detention, he received support from human rights activists, politicians, journalists, lawyers, and civil society representatives from various countries.
“The truth turned out to be stronger than fabricated charges,” he said, emphasizing the contribution of Ukrainian human rights organizations, international structures, the media, and the public to an objective examination of his case.
According to the activist, the court’s decision demonstrates the priority of the rule of law in Ukraine over political motives.
At the same time, the activist said that he cannot yet disclose all the circumstances of the case.
“Due to the ongoing legal proceedings, the secrecy of the investigation, and the upcoming hearing of the case in the appellate court, I cannot yet disclose "I have made all the circumstances of this case public. After the final decision of the appellate court, I will submit a detailed statement," he noted.
The press service of the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan was unable to provide comment.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot," the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) of Azerbaijan called on the Ukrainian authorities to prevent Hasanli's extradition, noting that the activist has lived in Ukraine for many years as a political émigré. The authors of the appeal, translated by a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, noted that Hasanli faces persecution by the authorities in Azerbaijan. The NCDS called on the Ukrainian authorities to ensure an objective review of Hasanli's case and guarantee the respect of his rights.
The NCDS also called on the European Union, the Council of Europe, the United Nations, the OSCE, international human rights organizations, and diplomatic missions in Ukraine to monitor the situation and take measures to protect Bahruz Hasanli's rights.