Trial of Ganimat Zahid’s Relatives Ends

The Baku Court of Grave Crimes under the chairmanship of Eldar Mikailov completed the trial on Rufat and Rovshan Zahidov, accused of drug trafficking. Rufat is the nephew of the political refugee Ganimat Zahid, head of the TV program Azerbaijan Hour, while Rovshan is his cousin.

At the meeting of 3 June the judge announced that the trial was completed. Closing remarks by the prosecutor are scheduled for June 10.

Lawyers for the defendants say the court did not conduct an objective judicial investigation and failed to investigate evidence of the defense.

In this case, the defendants themselves said at the trial they gave the confession under threats and blackmail of arrest of their relatives.

The Zahidovs were arrested in July 2015 on charges of possession and distribution of drugs (Article 234.4.1 and 234.4.3 of the Criminal Code). They face 5 to 12 years in prison.

This happened after the Azerbaijan Hour series of reports, which exposed the criminal acts and corruption of the ruling elite of the country.

The program manager and editor in chief of the Azadlig newspaper Ganimat Zahid believes the arrest of his relatives was a political order to exert pressure on him and stop his criticizing the authorities.

In recent years he lives in political emigration in France, from where Azerbaijan Hour is broadcast.    -06D-