Communicated on 29 May 2018

FIFTH SECTION

Application no. 1767/10 Husain ABDULVAHABOV against Azerbaijan lodged on 19 December 2009

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE

The application concerns the alleged lack of fairness of the criminal proceedings against the applicant who was convicted for organising and leading a criminal group involved in kidnapping and murdering several persons and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Relying on Article 6 § 3 (c) the applicant complains that his right to a fair trial was breached as a result of his absence from a hearing before the Supreme Court. In particular, he alleges that notwithstanding his express request the Supreme Court did not ensure his participation at the hearing before it nor did it give adequate reasons for rejecting that request. Moreover, his lawyer was also deprived of the opportunity to participate at the hearing in question.

QUESTIONS tO THE PARTIES

Was the applicant and/or his lawyer given an opportunity to be present at hearings before the Supreme Court? If not, were the proceedings before the Supreme Court in the applicant ’ s case compatible with the requirements of Article 6 §§ 1 and 3 (c) of the Convention?