On November 22, in the Sabunchu District Court of Baku, a verdict was read on the criminal case opened against Ali Aliyev, the imprisoned chairman of the Civic and Development Party (VIP), under Article 127.2.3 (intentional injury to health) of the Criminal Code for beating his cellmate.

Ali Aliyev has been in prison since January 13, 2022. He was sentenced to 5 months in jail on the charge of slander based on the complaint of Emil Jafarov, an officer of the State Border Service. During his imprisonment, two more criminal cases were opened against the chairman of the party, and the prison term was extended to one year. The criminal case under consideration in court is the 4th criminal case opened against Ali Aliyev.

In the proceedings chaired by judge Anar Rzayev, the State Prosecutor demanded that Ali Aliyev be sentenced to four years in prison. The court once again sentenced the party chairman to 3,5 years of imprisonment.

While speaking his last words, Ali Aliyev said that all four criminal cases conducted in a short period are related to his political activities. According to the party's chairman, this sentence is intended to prevent his participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Abulfat Sadigli, a human rights defender who participated in the process, said that the sentence was a political order. "Those in charge of this case from the Office of the President, of course, gave this instruction directly based on the consent of the first person. Today's trial of Ali Aliyev has nothing to do with the law. It was a political process; it was a political trial. Aliyev is a political prisoner. Ali Aliyev is directly a prisoner of Ilham Aliyev. It is injustice. We condemn this matter."

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