18:01, 18 February 2016

Court on Mirkadyrov case rejects all defence's motions

Rauf Mirkadyrov is being accompanied to the court. Photo: http://haqqin.az/news/55759

A preliminary session of the court in Baku, which is considering the appeal complaint lodged by journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov against his verdict, was held today behind closed doors. The court has rejected all the petitions, including the one demanding to release the journalist from custody.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 28, 2015, a court in Baku found Rauf Mirkadyrov guilty of treason and sentenced him to six years in a high-security colony. His defence lodged an appeal complaint.

Rauf Mirkadyrov, an observer of the Russian-language newspaper "Zerkalo" (Mirror), was accused in Azerbaijan of espionage in favour of Armenia. He refused to plead guilty. His colleagues and human rights activists raised voice in his defence.

Earlier, Elchin Shikhly, the editor-in-chief of "Zerkalo", called the verdict to Mirkadyrov "a political decision".

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

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent