Baku court denies house arrest for Belarus student in graffiti case
- 2 days ago
- 1 min read
A court in Azerbaijan has rejected an appeal to release a Belarusian student to house arrest as he awaits trial over allegations of spray-painting graffiti on a landmark cinema.
Ardeshir Seyfpur Saad Abadi, 20, was arrested in early April and placed in pre-trial detention for four months.
The Nasimi District Court in Baku heard his appeal on 8 July but refused to replace his detention with house arrest.
Azerbaijani authorities accuse Abadi of vandalising the Nizami Cinema, a prominent cultural venue in the capital.
However, he has denied the allegations, telling supporters through his family that he had nothing to do with the graffiti.
In a statement, his family expressed deep disappointment at the court's decision, calling the continued detention of the student disproportionate.
"We believe that... continuing this temporary detention is neither in line with the principle of proportionality nor a humane approach," the family said.
The family added that they would continue their legal fight "with patience, consistency, and respect for the law."
Comments