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In connection with the decision of the Appeal Court of Baku on leaving the two Azerbaijani defenders Tofig Yagublu and Ilgar Mamedov under the arrest Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland, made a statement in which he expressed his concern about the recent developments in Azerbaijan and the tough reactions of the police towards the protests.
According to the Azerbaijani news agency Turan, the secretary is particularly concerned with the arrest of Tofig Yagublu and Ilgar Mamedov.

“Mr. Mammadov is the director of Baku School of Political Studies, who worked closely with the Council of Europe. The most serious decision of the Court of Appeal of Baku was refusing the release of those two men and its refusal to allow the representatives of the Council of Europe to attend the trial. I call on the Azerbaijani authorities to respect the fundamental principles and the standards of the European Convention on Human Rights that are legally mandatory, which they committed themselves to comply while joining the Council of Europe,” the statement says.

Baku Appeal Court dismissed the appeal of Ilgar Mammadov, the head of “Republican Alternative” movement, for the illegal arrest. As lawyer Fuad Agayev told the news agency Turan that the court did not take into account the arguments of the defense which said that Mammadov is a renowned public figure and is not intended to hide from the investigation. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of the deputy head of "Musavat" party Tofig Yagublu, and upheld the decision of the trial court.

At the session of the Head of the representative office of the EU (European Union) in Azerbaijan Roland Kobia was not allowed to be presented at the court. He, along with other observers had to wait for the trial results at the street, said "Turan".

Unrests in Ismailli district began at the evening of January 23, after an accident in which the nephew of the head of Nizami Alekperov and son of the Minister of Labor Fizuli Alekperov - Vugar Alekperov - were involved. As a result a revolt arose; the participants set to fire commercial entities belonging to officials. Special Forces and internal troops entered the district. They used rubber bullets and tear gas against the rebels. There were dozens of arrested and injured in the result of clashes.

The police did not let Ilgar Mamedov and the opposition group that had arrived in Ismailli district on January 24 to enter into the city and sent them back to Baku. Nasimi District Court of Baku voted against Tofig Yagublu, the deputy head of the opposition party "Musavat", and Ilgar Mamedov, the chairman of the Civil Movement "REAL", and practiced a judicial restraint in the form of arrest for a period of 2 months. Both of the oppositionists denied the charges for organizing riots in Ismailli, and explained their visit to that district by their intention to get acquainted with the situation. If proven guilty they will face a sentence of 10 years imprisonment.