The Court of Appeal dismissed petition from the journalist Alibeili"s lawyer

Baku Court of Appeal (BCA) rejected the petition from the counsel of the Chief Editor of PS Nota and the Internet version www.psnota.com Sardar Alibeili on re-trial. This decision was taken on January 13 at the preliminary hearing in BCA chaired by Vugar Mamedov on the complaint from Alibeili sentenced to four years' imprisonment on charges of hooliganism. The journalist's lawyer Elchin Sadigov told Turan.

 According to him , the defense requested a re-trial. "The fact is that in the judgment of the court of Khatai did not reflect testimony of the victim and witnesses at the trial. The judge just rewrote the sentence in the testimony of the said persons recorded in the indictment, although they spoke differently at the trial," Sadigov said.

 However, the judge dismissed the petition and Mammadov appointed examination of the merits on January 27.

 Sadigov's lawyer said that the decision of the preliminary hearing at BCA will be appealed to the Supreme Court and prior to its consideration the hearing will be postponed .

 Sardar Alibeili was arrested in Baku on July 31, 2013, on the complaint of a Natig Amirov. He was charged under Article 221.3 (hooliganism with weapons or objects used as weapons) of the Criminal Code.

 On November 13 the Baku Khatai District Court sentenced him to four years in prison.

Alibeili has repeatedly been prosecuted because of critical and insulting publications.

Alibeili's colleagues believe this time the arrest was caused by critical notes and collage to the President Ilham Aliyev hosted in Facebook, as well as publication of an article written by the political refugee Isa Sadigov.

 Amnesty International has recognized Alibeili "prisoner of conscience". - 06B -