In Azerbaijan, challenge to judges in case against Avaz Zeinalov, editor-in-chief of newspaper "Khural", rejected

Today, the challenge to the panel of judges of the Court of Appeal in the case against Avaz Zeinalov, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Khural", who was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment for tax evasion and receiving a large bribe, was rejected. On May 13, the consideration of the appeal against the sentence will be continued by the current composition of the panel of judges.

At the today's preliminary session of the Baku Court of Appeal, Elchin Sadygov, Avaz Zeinalov's advocate, has filed a motion to conduct partially repeated judicial investigation, since at the court of the first instance, ex-MP Gyular Akhmedova, the main witness in the case, who is under arrest on charges of fraud, and a number of other witnesses for prosecution failed to answer the defence's questions. "Thereby, the adversarial principle was violated," Elchin Sadygov has stated.

In response, Judge Gasymov has said that "at the stage of the trial, there is no need to question witnesses."

At the court session, the defendant himself expressed his hope that the Judge would not "make a decision in accordance with any incoming call to 'the conference room', like it was in the court of the first instance." Otherwise, Avaz Zeinalov has stated, he will ask not to delay the trial.

"I want to be acquitted. I also want the court to confirm by the court decision that the criminal case initiated against me had been falsified, and I expect that you have enough courage to make such a decision," the defendant has stated.

The Judge did not respond to the Avaz Zeinalov's remark and scheduled the consideration of the appeal on the merits for on May 13, 02:30 p.m.