The Supreme Court rejected the complaint of Rauf Mirkadyrov

Baku / 03.10.17 / Turan: The Supreme Court of Azerbaijan today rejected the cassation appeal of journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov against the decision of the Baku Court of Appeal of March 17, 2017, which upheld the conviction and replaced the 6-year term of imprisonment for conditional punishment.

In the cassation appeal, the defense sought full justification for the journalist convict under Article 274 (state treason). However, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal.

According to lawyer Fuad Agayev, "accusations against Mirkadyrov in the state treasury are absurd." The investigation did not provide reliable evidence of the journalist's guilt. In the court of first instance, all the witnesses gave evidence in favor of Mirkadyrov, the lawyer said.

Mirkadyrov was detained on April 19, 2014 in Turkey and was illegally deported to Azerbaijan without observing the legislative procedures. The journalist appealed his deportation to the European Court of Human Rights. The defense also appealed against the decision to arrest and the verdict on the merits of the case.

In September 2016, the journalist emigrated from Azerbaijan. -06D-