OSCE Office in Baku concerned about closed-door court proceedings against opposition youth activists

BAKU, 5 April 2006 - The Head of the OSCE Office in Baku is concerned about a court decision to close the trial of Yeni Fikir (New Thinking) student group leaders to the public.

The leaders of the youth group are charged with attempting to forcefully overthrow the government and of engaging in illegal business activities.

"The court's ruling, which effectively makes the whole trial a state secret, is regrettable and does nothing to enhance public trust in the judiciary," said Ambassador Maurizio Pavesi, Head of the OSCE Office in Baku. "It makes it impossible for the OSCE monitors to assess the fairness of the proceedings and their compliance with international standards."

The case has been widely discussed since 5 August 2005, when state-controlled Azerbaijani television channels broadcast footage showing the accused discussing their allegedly illegal actions and receiving funds for organising a coup d'état.

"The decision to close the trial to the public came as a surprise because the key evidence, footage of a secretly filmed meeting, was shown on public television even before the investigation into the case had been completed," Ambassador Pavesi added.

"We regret that now, as the hearings start, the public is prevented from seeing what the accused and witnesses have to say about this."

The Head of the OSCE Office emphasised that public access to courtroom proceedings was essential for upholding fair trial standards and for keeping the public informed.