Verdict to blogger Mekhman Guseinov challenged at Azerbaijani SC

On May 15, an advocate of blogger Mekhman Guseinov submitted to the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan a cassation appeal against the verdict to his client.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Mekhman Guseinov was detained on January 9 and that the blogger claimed being tortured. In response, the chief of the Nasimi District Police Department of Baku demanded to bring Mekhman Guseinov to justice for defamation. On March 3, the Surakhani District Court of Baku found the blogger guilty of defamation and sentenced him to two years of imprisonment.

"We demand from the Supreme Court (SC) of Azerbaijan to stop the criminal prosecution of Mekhman Guseinov for the grounds of not guilty. The very article of 'defamation' of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code, applied against Mekhman Guseinov, contradicts the norm of the European Convention on Human Rights with regard to freedom of expression," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Elchin Sadygov, the advocate of the blogger.

"When accusing Mekhman Guseinov of defamation, the first instance court and the court of appeal failed to investigate the circumstances and to listen to witnesses who confirmed that the blogger was kidnapped in the city centre by persons in civilian clothes. Furthermore, the court also did not request video records from police surveillance cameras," said the advocate.

Elchin Sadygov has also noted that the defence is preparing a complaint to be filed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) with a request to recognize the violation of the rights under Article 3 (prohibition of torture) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

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