Prosecutors Help Footballer Javid Huseynov - Lawyer

The case of the soccer player Javid Huseynov involved in the death of the journalist Rasim Aliyev has been separated. This was said in the December 22 statement of the Baku Prosecutor's Office.

Member of the Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety, Rasim Aliyev was savagely beaten on August 8 by the relatives of Javid Huseynov because of criticism of the athlete on Facebook. With heavy traumas the journalist was taken to City Clinical Center N1, where he died a day later.

According to the press release from the Prosecutor's Office of Baku, the case against the five accused of involvement in the death of journalist Rasim Aliyev has been sent to court.

The defendants Kanan Madatov, Jamal Mammadov and Samir Mustafayev are charged under article 126.3 (deliberate infliction of grievous bodily harm that negligently caused the death of the victim). Two more accused, Elshan Ismayilov and Arif Aliyev, are charged with theft (Art. 177.1 of the Criminal Code). In relation to the footballer Huseynov the case has been separated and is nearing completion and transfer to the court. He is charged with Article 307.1 (not reporting on the planned crime) and 307.2 (concealment of a crime) of the Criminal Code. However, the defense believes that Huseynov is the organizer of the crime.

The lawyer of the journalist’s family Asabali Mustafayev considers illegal allocation of the case against Huseynov to a separate proceeding after the preliminary investigation was completed and the parties got acquainted with the case.

This decision, according to Mustafayev, is further evidence of "backing Javid Huseynov by the prosecutors."

"From the beginning we said that, accusing Huseynov only of "concealing a crime," the prosecutor's office helps him. Our suspicions are being justified," said Mustafayev. -06D-