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On June 9 Nasimi district court in Baku, dismissed the complaints of the Azerbaijani journalist Rauf Mirkadirov in connection with the denial of access of the notary.

According to the "Caucasian Knot", on May 19 Mirkadirov’s defense has turned to the Investigation Department for Grave Crimes at the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan to allow the notary to enter the prison at the Ministry of National Security (MNS) where Mirkadirov is kept. The journalist was to give to the Turkish lawyer the power of attorney in order to protect his rights in Turkey.

According to the article processing of complaint took place without Mirkadirov’s participation; he was not brought to the court from the detention center of MNS and was not given an explanation. "We have applied for the participation of the journalist. However, the judge, Shalala Hasanova, granted neither the petition, nor the complaint itself," said Elmar Suleymanov, the journalist's lawyer.

He believes that while extraditing Mirkadirov to Azerbaijan on April 19 the rights of the journalist have been violated. "Firstly, Mirkadirov was not given the right to appeal the decision on deportation in the Turkish court. On the other hand, according to international law, a person cannot be deported to a country where he may faces arrest," said Elmar Suleymanov.

According to him, "Mirkadirov was actually not deported but extradited." "However, there were no documents creating legal basis for extradition. At that time Mirkadirov was not even suspected," the lawyer explained.

He noted that the investigator's decision to refuse the notary in access to Mirkadirov is illegal and contradicts to several articles of Azerbaijai Constitution.

"We were not explained the reasons why Mirkadirov was not brought to court. But I suppose that this is due to the fact that Mirkadirov informed us of his intention to appear in court with a statement that sheds light on the reasons for his arrest," Suleimanov added.

He noted that the court decision will be appealed to the appellate court.

The "Caucasian Knot" reminds that Mirkadirov was arrested on April 18 in Turkey and was deported to Baku. On April 21 Baku court sanctioned his arrest for three months. He is accused of treason. His colleagues believe that the criminal prosecution is related to his professional activities. On May 4 the apartment in Ankara, where Mirkadirov lived with his family for the last three years, was searched by the Turkish security forces. On May 23, a search was also conducted in his parents’, the next day after the search his 84-year-old father died.