Azeri MIA demands tougher punishment to journalist Kerimov

The litigation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Azerbaijan and Eyub Kerimov, editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Femida-007", is transferred to the Baku Appeal Court, which will consider the appeal complaint of Nazil Aliev and Dableika Guliev, where they demand to toughen Kerimov's punishment.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 3 the Yasamal District Court, presided by Khagani Tagiev, satisfied the MIA's claim against Kerimov and sentenced him to 18 months of freedom deprivation under Article 147.2 ("Slander of committing a grave or especially grave crime") of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

Nevertheless, the claimant lodged an appeal complaint against the verdict. On behalf of the MIA the complaint was signed by its proxies - Nazil Aliev and Dableika Guliev. Ekhsan Zakhidov, deputy head of the MIA's press service, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the appeal complaint asks to "toughen Kerimov's punishment."

Employees and veterans of the MIA believe that the sentence passed by the Yasamal Court to Kerimov was not adequate to his offence - unreasonable accusing policemen of criminality," said Mr Zakhidov.

Let us note here that the maximum punishment under this article is imprisonment for two years.

Ekhsan Zakhidov has also refuted statements of some media that the claim was lodged by Minister Ramil Usubov. "It's not so. The claim was lodged after numerous applications of MIA's employees and veterans," he said and added that the Minister had just signed the claim lodged to the first instance.

Meanwhile, respondent Kerimov has also lodged an appeal complaint against the first instance's verdict. He believes it illegal and demands cancellation. "There was no slander in my publications and statements, just criticism. Both the MIA's claim and appeal have no grounds. I'll insist on cancellation of the first instance's verdict and complete acquittal," said Mr Kerimov.