The court sentenced Afgan Mukhtarly to 6 years in prison (UPDATED)

Baku / 12.01.18 / Turan: By the verdict of the Balakan Regional Court, a journalist Afgan Mukhtarly was sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment, said hislawyer Nemat Kerimli. He said that supporters of the journalist who were present in the hall in protest against the verdict sang the anthem of Azerbaijan. The defense will appeal. -03B-

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2018 January 12 (Friday) 12:42:31

Prosecutor Proposes to Convict Afgan Mukhtarly for Eight Years

Baku / 12.01.17 / Turan: Today, at the trial on the case of the journalist Afgan Mukhtarly, the prosecutor made a closing speech, proposing to sentence the journalist to 8 years of imprisonment. Turan was informed about this by attorney Nemat Kerimli.

The defense called on the court to acquit Mukhtarly.

The journalist himself stated about falsifying the criminal case and prosecuting him for investigating the corruption of the ruling elite of Azerbaijan. The judge interrupted the speech of the journalist.

The verdict is scheduled for 14:30.

* The journalist Afgan Mukhtarli was kidnapped in the center of Tbilisi on May 29, and then secretly sent to Azerbaijan. According to him, this was done by the employees of the criminal police of Georgia together with law enforcement bodies of Azerbaijan.

The next day, Mukhtarly was in Baku, where the court arrested him on charges of three articles: 315 (resistance to the representative of the authorities), 318.1 (illegal border crossing) and 206.1 (smuggling).

Mukhtarly is recognized as a political prisoner by local and international human rights defenders. Colleagues are convinced that he is being persecuted for his critical publications about corruption in Azerbaijan. -03B06-