Azerbaijan: SC upholds verdict to journalist Mekhtiev

Today, the Supreme Court (SC) of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (NAR), chaired by Judge Fakhraddin Mamedov, dismissed the appeal complaint lodged by Khyakimeldost Mekhtiev, a regional correspondent of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS).

His appeal was against the decision of the Sharur District Court of September 26, according to which Mekhtiev was found guilty under Article 189-1.1 (theft of electricity) of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code and fined by 1000 manats (over 1200 US dollars) to be paid to the regional energy service to compensate the damage for illegally used electric power.

According to Mekhtiev, the SC of the NAR "has formally considered the appeal complaint," while the presented documents confirming the use of electricity on legal grounds were disregarded.

Mr Mekhtiev said that the court did not take into account the fact that at the trial in the Sharur District 9 witnesses out of 11 witnesses for the prosecution admitted that during the preliminary investigation some of their evidences were distorted. "As a result, the judge upheld the verdict of the Sharur Court," said the journalist.

He does not agree with the verdict of the SC of the NAR and plans to submit a cassation complaint to the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan.

The SC of the NAR declined to comment on the sentence and on Mekhtiev's statement that the court had formally considered his complaint.

Mekhtiev himself believes that he is persecuted on political grounds.