The Court of Appeal upheld the arrest of the journalist Seymour Hazy

The  Sumgayit Court of Appeal today upheld the verdict of the journalist Seymour Hazi. At the same time, the judge did not allow Hazy make a last word. The text of the last word by the journalist reaffirms the political motives behind his prosecution.

* On January 29 the Absheron District Court sentenced an employee of the newspaper "Azadlig" and leading Internet program "Azerbaijani hour" Seymour Ghazi to five years in prison, finding him guilty of hooliganism. Another participant of the incident Muharram Hasanov received a total of six months in prison and had served his sentence.

** On 29 August, 2014 at a bus stop Hasanov Maharram approached the journalist and began to insult him. Then he attacked Hazy, and began to beat him. To defense himself  Hazy hit the assailant with a bottle in his hand. Immediately police came and took Hazy to the police.

Seymour Ghazi was one of the leading columnists of the opposition newspaper "Azadlig", as well as the leading online TV "Azerbaijan Saat," which sharply criticizes government of the country. -1606D-