In Azerbaijan, trial in case against editor-in-chief of newspaper "Khural" interrupted for indefinite term

The Baku Court of Serious Crimes announced a break for indefinite term in the trial in the case against Avaz Zeinalov, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Khural". Judge Ramella Allakhverdieva did not appoint the date of the next session. In his turn, the defendant has assumed that the break is announced in connection with vacation of the Judge.

The court session, held on August 1, listened to the testimonies of two out of six witnesses on charges of failure to fulfil judicial decisions.

Avaz Zeinalov intentionally failed to fulfil the court decisions on claims of insulting honour and dignity, lost in 2010, as a result of which the newspaper was fined 15,000 manats (about 18,000 US dollars). This was stated by Kyamal Aliev, the head of the Narimanov District Division of Bailiffs, and Mushfig Alirzaev, a member of the same Division.

The bailiffs claimed that upon launching the daily editions starting from September 2011, the edition office made profit, and, according to their estimation, Avaz Zeinalov could start paying funds.

According to the defence, the editorial board did not manage to get revenue from sales for September and October, since the companies on press distribution transfer revenues from the sales only in 2-3 months.

In their testimonies, the staff members of the Division of Bailiffs have also stressed that a demonstrative refusal of the editorial board to pay the legal obligations has been registered in an act.

However, Avaz Zeinalov has stated that the witnesses told a falsehood and there are no acts, signed by at least one staff member of the editorial board.