Gasymov, PFPA activist, sentenced to conditional 2.5 years in Nakhichevan

Today, the Nakhchivan City Court found Khijran Gasymov, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), guilty of drug dealing and causing a light bodily injury, and sentenced him to 2.5 years of conditional imprisonment.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Khijran Gasymov was detained in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in November 2014. A law enforcement source told his wife that Gasymov beat up two persons; and suspicious items were found in his car. The woman, in her turn, expressed confidence that her husband was prosecuted for his oppositional views.

The trial of Gasymov began on January 12 and ended today, Yashar Bagirsoy, the head of the Nakhichevan regional branch of the PFPA, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"At the trial, Khijran stated his innocence, called the accusations flimsy and said that he is persecuted only because he is an oppositionist. In the end, the court sentenced him to 2.5 years of conditional imprisonment. He was released in the courtroom. Of course, the guilty verdict is unfair in relation to an innocent man. But we are glad that Khijran Gasymov is at large after all," said Bagirsoy.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.