Prosecutor proposes to sentence Faig Amirov to 4.5 years of imprisonment

Baku/19.07.17/Turan: A prosecutor spoke today at the trial on the case of the financial director of Azadlig newspaper and the assistant to the chairman of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Party (PFPA), Faig Amirov. During the meeting, the state prosecutor offered to sentence Amirov to 4.5 years of imprisonment. Lawyer Agil Laidjev called the proposal of the prosecutor unjustified. "The charges put forward aginst Faig Amirov are not something that are dubbed, but not even sleep and hypothetical assumptions. These accusations have absolutely nothing to do with Amirov," said Laidjev. According to him, the evidence was falsified. The lawyer said that the defense will insist on an acquittal.

The next meeting is scheduled for July 24.

Amirov was detained on August 20, 2016 on charges of inciting inter-religious and ethnic hatred. On April 17, 2017, new charges were brought against him for tax evasion and abuse. However, as a result of the preliminary investigation, Articles 168.1 and 308 were dropped.

Currently, the case is under consideration by the court. Amirov was recognized as a human rights activist by political prisoners. The International Organization for the Protection of Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, condemned the arrest of Amirov and called for the removal of "ridiculous accusations." - 06B-