Shabanov where and his defence lawyer were not informed of the hearing, said Forum 18, a religious rights advocacy group, which has been closely monitoring the case. "The judge called the latest hearing without even informing Hamid’s lawyer," said Ilya Zenchenko of the Baptist Union in published remarks. "This was a clear violation."
The defense’s request that Shabanov be freed pending possible trial was reportedly rejected. However, Baptists have reortedly welcomed his transfer to Balakan District, in north-western Azerbaijan, which is next to Pastor Shabanov’s home in Zakatala District.
Pastor Shabanov – who leads a Georgian-speaking Baptist congregation in the village of Aliabad just outside Zakatala – is facing charges that he held an illegal weapon. His family and congregation insist the charges are fabricated. Shabanov was detained during a police raid on his home on June 20 this year and he has been held since then. His trial began in Zakatala July, 22 but on July 29 a judge referred the case back to the prosecutor for further investigation, Forum 18 said.
MUSLIM PRISONER
Officials have refused to discuss the case. In a separate case, Muslim prisoner Said Dadashbeyli failed in his appeal to the Supreme Court, the last possible avenue of appeal within Azerbaijan, Forum 18 said. His family reportedly plan to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Difficulties continue for religious communities continue also elsewhere in Azerbaijan, with reports that a Baku Protestant church, Cathedral of Praise, had its place of worship confiscated by local authorities.
President Ilham Aliyev has come under international pressure to improve human rights in the former Soviet republic. He took over as president from his father, Heydar, in 2003. Oil-rich Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 amid political turmoil and against a backdrop of violence in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. (With BosNewsLife Research).
