18:41, 29 June 2017

Criminal case against Mukhtarly combined with "Meydan TV"

Detention of the journalist Afghan Mukhtarly. Photo by Aziz Karimov for "Caucasian Knot"

The Baku Court of Appeal has refused to grant the complaint about the refusal to transfer the journalist from SIZO (pre-trial prison) under house arrest. According to the joint criminal case against Mukhtarly and the "Meydan TV", Elman Nasirov, an Azerbaijani MP, will be interrogated, said the journalist's advocate.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Mukhtarly is accused of trespassing the border, contraband and resisting a border guard.

According to Elchin Sadygov, an advocate, the court dismissed the above complaint "without presenting any essential counter-arguments." The defence intends to complain about this decision to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

The "Meydan TV", founded in 2013 by Emin Milli, a former political prisoner, the financial support of the European Democracy Support Fund, closed its office in Baku in December 2014.

Mr Sadygov has added that investigators satisfied another defence's petition on questioning the MP Elman Nasirov and the presenter of the programme "Djarchy" (Herald) at the Public Television of Azerbaijan, as a witness.

Nemat Kerimli, another Mukhtarly's advocate, has stated a violation of his client's right to meet his relatives. He added that Mukhtarly has health problems.

The staff of the Georgian embassy to Azerbaijan has not yet visited the journalist at the SIZO, although Mukhtarly wished to meet them.

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

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent