Azerbaijani SC leaves Araz Guliev, author of religious website, in custody

The Supreme Court (SC) of Azerbaijan has dismissed the appeal complaint lodged by Araz Guliev, the editor-in-chief of the religious website "Xeber44.com", who was detained at believers' protest action and sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment. The defence treats the verdict as illegal.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Guliev was detained on September 8, 2012, during the believers' action against the performance of half-naked female dancers at the international folklore festival in the city of Masally. Guliev's relatives associate his prosecution with his professional activities.

Fariz Namazly, Guliev's advocate, believes that the convicts under the case were prosecuted for their religious beliefs. Authorities fear any people's consolidation, especially on religious grounds, the lawyer has added.

According to his version, earlier Guliev had been repeatedly summoned to the Masallly ROVD (District Interior Division) and the Ministry of National Security, where they demanded from him to stop publishing critical materials about the authorities and threatened to arrest him.

Namazly has added that the defence intends to appeal to the ECtHR.

Let us note here that all the seven convicts in the case have been put on the list of 81 political prisoners compiled by 11 NGOs and submitted to the Council of Europe.

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