On Thursday, the hearing of complaint of the journalist Afghan Sadigov, sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment on charges of hooliganism, was opened in the Shirvan Court of Appeal.
The editor and founder of the website Azel.tv functioning in Jalilabad, Afghan Sadygov, was arrested on November 22, 2016, on charges of damaging health from hooligan motives. On January 12, he was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.
The journalist rejected the accusations, saying he was provoked for criticizing the local authorities. Sadygov is recognized by local human rights activists as political prisoner. The appeal is considered with a partial judicial investigation. In this regard, at the meeting, the prosecutor first read out the indictment, after which the defendant gave evidence, the lawyer Elchin Sadygov told Turan IA.
“Afghan said in his testimony that he was arrested by order of the administration of the Jalilabad region: Aziz Azizov, the head of the executive power, repeatedly called him and demanded to stop criticizing the district leadership and the problems in the district as a whole,” the lawyer said.
According to the journalist's testimony, in August 2016 he was again summoned to the head of the district. He was again demanded to stop publishing negative materials about the district, after which a provocation was organized against him in the reception room, according to Afghan Sadygov.
“When Sadygov left the office of the district head, a woman approached him and began accusing him of biased publications about local officials and insulting the journalist. Sadygov, realizing that a provocation was organized against him, hastily left the building,” Elchin Sadygov conveyed the defendant's testimony.
The victim herself at the meeting on April 6 also testified that she claimed that the journalist had attacked her and struck her, and she was taken to hospital in an unconscious state.
However, her words do not fit in with the registration data of the district hospital, where it is indicated that she entered the hospital in the afternoon, while the incident occurred in the morning.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 27. -06D--
Social
-
On November 1, the weather in the capital will be cloudy, with light rain in some areas during the night and morning. There will be a moderate southwest wind. The temperature at night will range from +7 to +10°C, and during the day it will be +12 to +15°C. Humidity will be 70-80% both at night and during the day. No precipitation is expected across the country. There may be fog in some areas, with a moderate west wind.
-
After introducing six innovative products to its subscribers in a short time, Bakcell was honoured with the "Most Successful Rebranding" award at the prestigious international advertising and marketing competition "Felis." The award ceremony took place at the traditional "Brand Week" event held on 8 November 2024 in Istanbul.
-
The International Coalition for Democratic Renewal (ICDR) and Forum 2000 Foundation expressed grave concerns over the escalating repression of civil society in Azerbaijan, issuing a joint statement. The groups highlighted the government's intensified crackdown on lawyers, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, painting a stark picture of a country where dissenting voices are systematically silenced.
-
The Times Higher Education (THE), a leading international organization with an audience of 60 million and ranked among the world's top 100 networks in the field of education and skills assessment, has published a comprehensive article titled “Calls for the Release of Azerbaijani Scholar as Climate Summit Begins.” THE, known for its annual ranking of world universities, notes that while a major fossil fuel producer hosts a gathering of global leaders, it is cracking down on dissenters. Human rights groups are urging the Azerbaijani government, which is hosting the COP29 climate conference, to release a scholar detained after criticizing fossil fuel policies.
Leave a review