Man Accused of Journalist�s Death Asks for Excuses

Baku / 13.06.18 / Turan: Samir Mustafayev sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment for the beating and the subsequent death of the journalist Rasim Aliyev has filed a cassation appeal, which is being considered under the chairmanship of Tahir Kazimov.

During the consideration of the complaint on June 13, his lawyer Bakhtiyar Hajiyev said the verdict against his client was groundless, since there is no corpus delicti in Samir Mustafayev"s actions.

The latter was not acquainted with either Rasim Aliyev or representatives of the opposite side. Mustafayev had no relationship with any of them. He also did not participate in the beating of the journalist. According to the records from the security cameras it is clear that he, on the contrary, helped Rasim Aliyev. However, the recording of the camera refutes this statement.

As is known, Samir Mustafayev was sentenced to 9 years imprisonment under Article 126.3 (deliberate infliction of grievous bodily harm, which caused death).

The court did not allow representatives of the injured party - the journalist"s mother Teyfura Aliyeva and the lawyer.

The trial on this case will continue on August 29.

The correspondent of the website www.ann.az Rasim Aliyev was beaten on August 8 by relatives of the football player Javid Huseynov because of criticism of the latter on Facebook. With hard traumas, the journalist was taken to City Clinical Center N1, where he died a day later.

It should be noted that 6 people were arrested in the case of Aliyev's death. The case against Huseynov was separated into a separate case at the end of the investigation. He is charged under Articles 307.1 (no report on the crime being prepared) and 307.2 (concealment of a crime) of the Criminal Code.

The Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced five defendants on May 3, 2016: Elshan Ismayilov was sentenced to 13 years in prison, Arif Aliyev - to 12 years and six months, Jamal Mammadov - to 11 years, and Kenan Madatov and Samir Mustafayev - to 9 years.

On May 31, 2016 the Sabayil court sentenced a football player, captain of the FC Gabala, Javid Huseynov, to 4 years of imprisonment, having found him guilty under Articles 307.1 (failure to report on serious crimes under preparation) and 307.2 (concealment of a serious crime). On December 12, he was released.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, accepting the members of the EU-Azerbaijan Committee of Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation on September 20, 2016, noted that the journalist tragically died in the hospital after he was beaten by relatives and fans of the football player, who had been criticized. -0-