Baku / 16.09.17 / Turan: The final speeches of the lawyers and the journalist were held at the Sheki Grave Crimes Court at the trial of the journalist Elchin Ismayilly. According to information from local activists, the journalist stated that he had not committed any crime, and charges against him were fabricated. The lawyers also asked the court to stop the criminal case on justifiable grounds.
The independent journalist Elchin Ismayilly was arrested on February 17. He was charged under articles 182 (extortion of money by threats) and 308 (abuse of official powers) of the Criminal Code. In early August, he was charged with another accusation under art. 311 (receiving a bribe). On these charges, he faces 8 to 12 years of imprisonment.
According to the accusation, the journalist extorted money from the head of the Culture and Tourism Department Azer Abbasov. The latter applied to the State Security Service, whose employees arrested the journalist. According to the defense, the money was actually lent.
As the lawyer Elchin Sadygov explained in an interview with the Turan news agency, the investigation did not provide evidence of extortion and accordingly there can be no question of taking bribes. And the accusation of "abuse of official powers" is not at all consistent, since under the legislation of Azerbaijan a journalist is not an official.
However, the lawyer does not expect a fair verdict. According to him, the judicial investigation was conducted with violations of the law from the very outset. E.g., the preparatory meeting was held without the participation of the lawyer Sadygov. Nevertheless, Judge Rashid Huseynov complained against Sadygov to the Bar after he publicized this fact.
On September 15, the judge again threatened the lawyer with a complaint to the Bar because he did not submit a number of documents to the court, despite the fact that Sadygov said they were sent by mail.
On September 15, journalists were not admitted to the court, although the trial was open.
The verdict is scheduled for September 18. -06B--
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