Three members of the Nur movement are released

Baku Court of Appeal today released three members of the Nur Movement,  followers of Islam, and  the sentence term of other two were cut by half - to 2.5 years, according to the lawyer Asabali Mustafayev.

On  October 7, 2015  a group of detained Nur-members  detained in April 2014  year were convicted.

Under the Articles 167-2.2.1 (distribution of literature with religious content without permission), 168.1 (infringement of the rights of citizens under the pretext of performing religious rites) and 168.2 (infringement of the rights of citizens under the pretext of performing religious rites involving minors in these acts) of the Criminal Code.

The court sentenced Ismail Mammadov, Zakariya Mammadov  (brothers), Eldaniz Hajiyev to 5 years in prison; Shahin Hasanov – to 3.5 years of imprisonment, Revan Sabzaliev - 1.5 years in prison (he was accused only under Article 168.2).

Today the Baku Appellation Court  cut by half , to 2,5 years the term of imprisonment for Ismail Mamedov and Eldaniz Hajiyev.  Revan Sabzaliev’s sentence term  was reduced to one year in prison and because he had already served this term, he  was released in the courtroom.

With regard to  Shahin Hasanov and Zakaria Mammadov  the court applied Article 70 of the Criminal Code to replace the prison sentence to a suspended sentence. They  has also been released in the courtroom.

The lawyer Mustafayev said that the defense insists on a complete justification of these persons, and will submit appeals against the sentence in respect of each of them. -06B-