Abzas Media journalists challenged the composition of the Baku Court of Appeal

During the consideration of their appeal, the defendants in the Abzas Media case challenged the composition of the court. The challenge was dismissed.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" reported, on June 20, a Baku court sentenced journalists and employees of the Azerbaijani online publication Abzas Media to lengthy prison terms on charges of economic crimes. The publication's director Ulvi Hasanli, editor-in-chief Sevinj Vagifgizi, investigative journalist Hafiz Babali, economist Farid Mehralizade received 9 years in prison, Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova - 8 years, and Mohammed Kekalov - 7.5 years.

On August 26, at the Baku Court of Appeal in the Abzas Media case, the convicted editor-in-chief of the publication Sevinj Vagifgizi challenged the composition of the court and was supported by other defendants in the case. In particular, Vagifgyzy questioned the objectivity of the presiding judge Zaur Akhmedov, the journalist's lawyer Elchin Sadygov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The journalist drew attention to the fact that Akhmedov is the son of a member of parliament of many convocations, Vahid Akhmedov.

"Sevinj also drew attention to the fact that the judge worked in the prosecutor's office for many years, and last year he was fired from the post of prosecutor of the Garadagh district. Having no experience, he was appointed a judge of the appellate court," said the journalist's mother, Ofelia Magerramova.

In addition, according to her, Vagifgyzy pointed out that another judge, Mukhriban Garayeva, showed bias towards the accused at the previous hearing on August 12. Thus, when the accused journalists stated that they could not hear the speeches of the participants in the trial, the judge threw at them: "don't explain."

However, the judges left the challenge unconsidered, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told in the Baku Court of Appeal.

You can read about who the high-profile anti-corruption investigations of the publication were dedicated to in the "Caucasian Knot" reference "Why Abzas Media did not please the authorities of Azerbaijan".