Supreme Court Dismisses Cassation from Parviz Hashimli

Azerbaijani Supreme Court rejected the appeal of the convicted journalist Parviz Hashimli.

An employee of the newspaper Bizim Yol Parviz Hashimli was arrested by the National Security Ministry on Sept. 17, 2013. Baku Court of Grave Crimes on May 15, 2014 found him guilty of illegal purchase, possession and smuggling of arms and ammunition, and sentenced him to 8 years in prison.

On December 24, 2015 the Baku Court of Appeal upheld the verdict. The defense filed a cassation to the Supreme Court. Hashimli states that another defendant in the case, Gurbanov, slandered him. Human rights activists have recognized Hashimli a political prisoner.

Hashimli himself was absent during the consideration of the appeal. The defense asked to postpone the trial and ensure the participation of Hashimli, the lawyer Elchin Sadygov told Turan.

However, the court rejected the petition and the complaint itself.

According to Sadygov, the defense intends to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the merits of the criminal case. The ECHR has already been sent a complaint on the illegal arrest of Hashimli.

It should be noted that during the trial in the first instance Hashimli said that during the preliminary investigation, which was led by MNS, he was put under pressure.

Hashimli called specific names, including Ilgar Aliyev, who recently was arrested on the criminal case on illegal actions of employees of the National Security Ministry. - / 06D-