Journalist Afghan Sadigov sentenced to 2.5 years

  On January 12  the Jalilabad  Regional  Court  read the verdict  against   the journalist Afgan Sadigov, accused of hooliganism. The court sentenced him to 2.5 years in prison (the public prosecutor asked for 3 years in prison.)

Founder  and the editor of the site "azel.tv" A.Sadygov was arrested on 22 November  and charged under Article 127.2.3 (deliberate causing of harm to health of hooliganism) of the Criminal Code.

 The talk is about the incident in August in the Executive Power of the district building. Then in the reception  area  some  Alia Rzayeva  attacked the journalist, after what the police logged the incident as damage to health. According to  the lawyer Elchin Sadygov, the journalist said that the provocation was organized against him and he is being persecuted for his professional activities.

According to materials of the charges, Afghan Sadygov allegedly struck "victim"  on August 9, 2016 at 10 am at the reception  of the head of executive power of Jalilabad, and she lost consciousness and was immediately hospitalized. However, in the district hospital accounts book indicates that this woman  came  only at  15.30.

In addition, the evidence in the case file dated August 9, and there are signatures of this woman. It does not fit with the statement that she was unconscious for several days in the hospital. However, the court did not investigate not docking. All the witnesses in the case were employees of the district administration.

The Court also rejected the defense motion on viewing video surveillance cameras in the reception area of the  executive power, for in such a case it would be clear that  there was not any attack on  the woman.

The lawyer intends to appeal the verdict. According to him, journalists  is persecuted because of critical coverage of social issues in the region, the illegal actions of officials. --06B--