In Azerbaijan, court rejects petitions of journalist Halil's defender

Today, the Nasiminskiy District Court of Baku continued the process on Sergey Strekalin accused of inflicting on March 13, 2008, a knife wound to Agil Halil, an employee of the "Azadlyg" (Freedom) newspaper. The victim was involuntarily brought to the courtroom.

Elchin Sadygov, journalist's advocate, challenged the staff of the court. However, his petition was rejected. Later, the lawyer lodged petitions on sending the case back to preliminary investigation and stopping the criminal proceedings against Sergey Strekalin since he had never knifed Halil.

However, Strekalin himself objected to termination of his criminal case, and the court retired for consideration of the petitions.

The judge rejected Elchin Sadygov's petitions on terminating the case and sending it to additional investigation. He also rejected the petition on inviting Dagbei Allakhverdiev and Akif Chovdarov, employees of the Ministry of National Security, for evidencing before the court; Agil Halil had asserted that they had beaten him on February 22 in the Olive Grove.

Meanwhile, Strekalin has pled guilty under Article 127 of the Criminal Code ("Deliberate infliction of a heavy bodily injury"), but rejected charges under Article 234 ("Illegal storage of drugs").

In his turn, Mr Halil has stated that he had never met Strekalin, and on March 13 he was attacked and knifed not by Strekalin. According to Halil, Strekalin "has taken someone's guilt for unclear reasons." The journalist has treated the preliminary investigation and the litigation as prejudiced.