Iranian court refuses to release Azerbaijani scientist
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 15 November 2009 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Iranian court refuses to release Azerbaijani scientist, 15 November 2009, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4b0413c828.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
November 15, 2009
TEHRAN, November 15, 2009 (RFE/RL) – A Tehran court has refused to grant bail to an Azerbaijani scientist being held on still-unclear charges, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.
Azerbaijani physicist Rashid Aliyev, who had worked for the Iranian Sazan Electronics Industry Company (SEIC), was arrested on October 5 upon arriving in Tehran from Azerbaijan.
Soltangamid Melikov, the chairman of the Committee to Protect Aliyev, told RFE/RL that CEIC President Abbas Iftihari had offered $100,000 in bail to the Iranian court to secure Aliyev's release, but that the court rejected the offer on November 13.
Melikov said no explanation was given by the court.
Aliyev is in Tehran's Evin prison and has been allowed to speak to his family once a week.
Aliyev, a top physicist at Baku State University, worked for the SEIC from 2006-2008.
He was invited to Iran by the SEIC last month when he was arrested.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov said it has sent an official note to the Iranian Foreign Ministry asking for an explanation of Aliyev's arrest but has received no response.
The Iranian Embassy in Baku has refused to comment.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
