Georgian advocates criticize Azerbaijani court's judgement in Afghan Mukhtarly's case

In Azerbaijan, the decision of the court of appeal in the case against journalist Afghan Mukhtarly kidnapped in Georgia is biased, but it is necessary to pass all the national authorities for a subsequent appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), Georgian advocates have stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 12, the court sentenced Azerbaijani journalist Afghan Mukhtarly to six years of imprisonment on the charges of illegal border crossing, smuggling and rendering resistance to a public official. Afghan Mukhtarly himself pleaded not guilty. On April 24, the court of appeal in Azerbaijan upheld the verdict to the journalist.

The court of appeal in Azerbaijan has been biased against the Afghan Mukhtarly's case, believes Rusudan Mchedlishvili, a member of the "Tbilisi House for the Protection of Human Rights".

"The Azerbaijani court of appeal did not consider any motion of those filed by Afghan Mukhtarly and his advocate. He [Afghan Mukhtarly] voiced his position at the trial. He said he expected what decision would be pronounced by the court. It is just a necessary procedure he should pass to file a subsequently appeal to the European Court of Human Rights," Rusudan Mchedlishvili said on the air of the Georgian "Rustavi 2" TV Channel.

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