Azerbaijan: ‘no fair trial’ for house-church leader appealing against fine

Monday, October 23, 2017

(Worthy News) - An Azerbaijani man fined for leading a “house church” without state permission has not been treated fairly during his appeal against the fine, a local source has told World Watch Monitor.

The source, who wishes to remain anonymous, said there have been “multiple violations of law and process” against Hamid Shabanov.

Shabanov and another church member, Mehman Agamammadov, were each ordered to pay a fine of 1,500 manats (900 US dollars) for leading worship services without state permission following a police raid in November 2016 on Shabanov’s house in Aliabad, in the south of the country.

Shabanov was found guilty at a hearing in January and several appeals were rejected. [ Source: World Watch Monitor (Read More...) ]