In Azerbaijan, journalist Parviz Gashimli's defence asks court to organize fingerprint examination

The defence of journalist Parviz Gashimli, who is accused of smuggling and illegal arms trade, has filed a motion to conduct a fingerprint examination in the case. In addition, the defence has asked the court to send to Russia a request concerning weapons, which, according to investigators, Parviz Gashimli wanted to sell.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that, according to the investigators, Parviz Gashimli, a staff member of the newspaper "Bizim Yol", the head of the website "moderator.az" and of the public association "Centre for the Protection of Citizens' Civil and Political Rights", has conspired with citizen Tavakkyul Gurbanov to sell weapons from Iran.

At the court hearing held on Thursday, Bakhruz Bairamov, an advocate of Parviz Gashimli, has filed the motion to conduct the fingerprint examination of banknotes seized from the car belonging to Tavakkyul Gurbanov. He is confident that the examination will confirm the absence of the journalist's fingerprints on the banknotes.

Besides, Bakhruz Bairamov has also drawn attention to the fact that the pistols found in the Tavakkyul Gurbanov's car were manufactured in Russia.

"Weapons are always seriously controlled. Therefore, we should contact the producing country concerning the number plates on the weapons," the advocate has stated.

The defender believes that, since the investigators failed to conduct such an examination, the court should eliminate this omission. However, Judge Novruz Karimov has left both motions without consideration.