Court leaves journalist Ganimat Zakhidov under arrest in Azerbaijan

Today, the consideration of the appeal lodged by editor-in-chief of the "Azadlyg" newspaper Ganimat Zakhidov against the decision of the Yasamal District Court ended in upholding of the latter. The freedom restriction measure in the form of the editor-in-chief's arrest for the period of 2 months was upheld.

The court session presided by Judge Rizvan Safarov lasted for about two hours and was held in the closed mode.

Rashid Gadzhily, the editor-in-chief's advocate, has told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the courts in Azerbaijan "are executing the authorities' commands and pass political verdicts."

"Ganimat Zakhidov has fallen a victim to the political command issued by the authorities, but we shall appeal against all these decisions and bring the case to the European Court," the advocate has emphasized.

Meanwhile, today two convicted journalists have started a hunger strike in protest against the continued pressure on the press in Azerbaijan. The statement of the Institute for Freedom of Press runs that the action is held by satirist Sakit Zakhidov and Faramaz Allakhverdiev, an employee of the "Nota Bene" newspaper.

The hunger-strikers have adopted an appeal to international organizations and diplomatic missions located in Baku emphasizing a serious threat to the freedom of speech in Azerbaijan and inactivity of the international community.