Courts Refuse to Release Director and Editor of "Khayal TV

On July 18 the Baku Court of Appeals, chaired by Etibar Huseynov, rejected the appeals of the Executive Director, Vugar Gonagov, and the editor, Zaur Guliyev, of "Khayal" TV. The Court upheld the decision of the court of Nizami, dated 11 July of this year, to extend the arrest of both for two months, until September 17.

    According to the journalists’ lawyer, Elchin Sadikhov, on the same day the Baku Court of Appeal, chaired by Mirpasha Huseynov, rejected the complaint of Guliyev and Gonagov on the change of the preventive measure - arrest.

    The investigation on disturbances in Guba region on March 1 of this year is divided into three parts and will be sent to the court separately. Thus, the case of the journalists is being investigated under the Article 186 of the Criminal Code (intentional destruction of property) and 233 (organizing of public disorder.) Several other people are involved in the case, and it is expected that the case will go to court in August, said the lawyer.

    In general, 40 people have been arrested from the events in Guba region. 

     *On March 1, 2012, up to 10,000 people held a protest rally in Guba region, demanding resignation of Chief Executive Rauf Khabibov. The reason for the discontent was the speech of Khabibov, where he offended local residents, accusing them of corruption. The protests culminated in riots and clashes with the internal forces. The people dispersed only after Khabibov’s dismissal. 

     Later dozens of people accused of organizing unrest were arrested, and among them were two of the leaders of the local TV channel "Khayal TV" , Gonagov and Guliyev. -03B-