17:12, 10 March 2017

Azerbaijani journalist Mirkadyrov receives political refuge in Switzerland

Rauf Mirkadyrov. Photo: https://haqqin.az/news/80206

Rauf Mirkadyrov, who had applied to the government of Switzerland for political asylum, was granted the status of political refugee, the journalist himself has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in September 2016, Rauf Mirkadyrov left for Switzerland to see his relatives living there since 2014. He was able to leave Azerbaijan after the court allowed him to temporarily leave the country for humanitarian reasons.

On December 28, 2015, in Baku, the court found journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov guilty of treason and sentenced him to six years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony. During the court session on the consideration of the appeal filed against the verdict in the case of treason held on March 16, Rauf Mirkadyrov pleaded not guilty. On March 17, 2016, the Baku Court of Appeal (CoA) freed Mirkadyrov from custody, replacing his real sentence for conditional term with a probationary period of five years. Mirkadyrov said then that he intended to seek full acquittal and cancellation of the conviction.

Rauf Mirkadyrov was granted the political refugee status in Switzerland, the “Turan” news agency reported on March 9.

The “Haqqin.az” adds that the journalist himself reported about getting the status.

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