Journalist Ziya Asadli was released

Baku / 08.09.20 / The casfeuran: Regional correspondent of the Azadlig newspaper, Ziya Asadli, was released after serving a three-year prison term. He was arrested in September 2017 and convicted by the Bilasuvar Court under Article 221.3 (Hooliganism committed with the use of objects used as weapons) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

According to the prosecution, Ziya Asadli committed hooliganism in a local cafe. However, according to local residents, this cafe belongs to a local police officer, and Asadli never visited it.  

In his testimony, Asadli indicated that on April 19, 2017, when he was passing by the cafe, the employee of the cafe attacked him. Asadli immediately called the Interior Ministry (102) and reported the attack. However, a criminal case was initiated against him.

Ziya Asadli is a disabled person of the second group, the father of 2 children.

Human rights activists recognized him as a political prisoner, believing that the real reason for his arrest was his publications about the arbitrariness of officials in Bilasuvar and other areas of the southern region, protest by local residents.-06D-