22:09, 7 February 2014

Lenkoran resident convicted for freedom of expression on Internet, rights defenders assert

Azerbaijan, Lenkoran, District Court. Photo: http://neftchiliyik.biz/

Shaig Agaev, a resident of the city of Lenkoran, located in Southern Azerbaijan, was sentenced to 4 years in prison on charges of selling drugs. Azerbaijani human rights activists believe that Agaev was convicted for declaring that his daughter had been beaten at school.

Shaig Agaev was arrested a year ago after he posted a video interview on the Internet, in which he told that his daughter had been beaten by a schoolteacher. The sentence to Agaev was handed down on February 5; and his defence intends to appeal against it at the Court of Appeal.

Idrak Abbasov, an employee of the Institute of Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), who was monitoring Agaev's case and watching the trial, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Agaev has "suffered for the freedom of expression."

The lawyer said that the IRFS had put Agaev on the list of persons prosecuted for the freedom of expression.

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent