Trial in the case of a reporter for the Azadlig newspaper

Baku / 22.05.20 / Turan: On May 22, the Khatai District Court held a preparatory meeting in a criminal case against the correspondent of the Azadlig newspaper, a member of the opposition party of the Popular Front, Tezehan Miralamli.

Miralamli is charged under the Article 221.1 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code. A  Lawsuit against him was  filed on the complaint of Ata Abdullaev, who presents himself as a “video blogger”. The subject of the proceedings is the incident on February 26 during a visit by activists of the PFPA Memorial to the victims of the Khojaly genocide.

According to Miralamli, he covered this event as a journalist. “Ata Abdullaev expressed foul language, I went up to him and warned him to stop it, and he filed a complaint with the police that I allegedly hit him,” Miralamli said.

 At the preparatory meeting, Miralamli made three motions: he requested an end to the criminal prosecution in view of the groundlessness of the charges; attach to the case a video of the statements of the “victim”, who in front of the courthouse shouted the demands of the PFPA leader Ali Karimli, and member of the National Council Gultekin Hajibeyli to appear in court.

“These video frames show that in fact Abdullaev was not a victim, he just started all this to arrange a political show,” Miralamli said. He further requested the interrogation of eyewitnesses to the incident on 26 February. The judge rejected the first application, and left the other two at this stage without consideration. Abdullaev demanded that the court change the preventive measure and the arrest of Miralamli.

The prosecutor, however, said he saw no reason to change the preventive measure. The judge dismissed the motion. According to Art. 221.1 Miralamli faces a fine of one to three thousand manats ($ 600-1800), or correctional labor up to one year, or restriction of liberty up to one year, or imprisonment up to one year. The next meeting is scheduled for June 4. –21С06-