Today, the Baku court of Appeal postponed Khadija Ismayil trial until November 19.
The judge informed the lawyers that the defendant had the right to file a nappeal within one month of the initial meeting. However, despite Khadija Ismayil and her lawyers’ not wanting to file an appeal the judge adjourned the hearing anyway.
Khadija Ismayil's mother speaking outside the court to AzadliqRadiosu said the only reasion she thinks they are postponing the hearing is to drag time.
At another hearing miles away from Azerbaijan, Dinara Yunus the daughter of rights and peace advocates Leyla and Arif Yunus spoke of her parents’ suffering while addressing the Senate Human Rights Caucus in Capital Hill.
While Dinara Yunus asked important questions about the future of her family and her parents, her mother Leyla Yunus asked her lawyer another important question, "ok, so if I die here, what will the government do then?" she told him. Yunus's lawyer, also said that bans on phone conversations and on meetings with her family continue.
Also today, an appeal court in the city of Sumgayit kept Raci Imanov sentence in place. Imanov, is Gunel Movlud’s brother. Movlud is known for her critical writing and is a journalist with Meydan TV. Both of her brothers were arrested on October 13, and charged with drug trafficking. They were sentenced to three-month administrative detention. Movlud believes it is the direct result of her work. And just last week, Movlud's mother denounced her daughter. Movlud's father was also dismissed from his job.
Also today, journalist with locally printed-paper, Elchin Hasanov was called into the Grave Crimes Unit. While the journalist was invited to come for questioning over the phone, he was not provided any further details on the reasons for this visit. Hasanov was stopped earlier this year when traveling to Strasbourg for the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly session. He was told there is a “hooliganism” case against him. However, Hasanov was not informed who launched the case and for what reasons.
In the meantime withdrawals of candidates registered for the parliamentary election continues. Musavat party, announced its decisition to pull out of the race while the National Council said they are boycotting the election.