Azerbaijani Appeal Court upholds verdict to bloggers

Today, in Baku, the Azerbaijani Appeal Court, chaired by Judge Gail Mamedov, has upheld the verdict of the first instance court to bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Gadjizade.

At today's session, Isakhan Ashurov, Gadjizade's advocate, said that the "unfair consideration by the court of the appeal complaint is coming to its end."

To confirm his words, Mr Ashurov has specified that, despite the defence's persistent petitions, "the so-called victims Vyusal Mamedov and Babek Guseinov had never appeared in the courtroom." Besides, Ashurov asserted the "general illegality of accepting the victims' complaint to consideration by the first instance court, as the claimants had failed to present their IDs and residence certificates."

Besides, according to his story, the preliminary investigation and trials were held with violation of the presumption of innocence and personal immunity of the defendants.

Elton Guliev, Emin Milli's advocate, has also pointed to unfair consideration of the bloggers' complaint. He noted that the witnesses presented by the defence had not been interrogated either by the first instance or by the Baku Appeal Court.

Blogger Gadjizade has added that the Appeal Court also failed to take the photo materials confirming the innocence of the defendants to consideration. Blogger Milli has also stated the "prejudiced character" of the investigation and judicial hearing.

However, the state accuser Gudrat Guseinov insisted that in the course of investigation the defendants' guilt was completely proved, "which found its reflection in the sentence of the Sabail District Court."

In his turn, Emin Guseinov, Director of the Institute of Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) of Azerbaijan, has regarded the decision of the Appeal Court in relation to the bloggers as "another evidence of the absence of independent justice in Azerbaijan," and a "scandalous example of arbitrariness."

Mr Guseinov has also specified ignoring by the authorities of appeals of international organizations to release the bloggers.