The Baku Court of Appeal (BAC) today again upheld the verdict to blogger Mehman Huseynov. The reason for the arrest of the blogger were his allegations of torture in the police in January this year. In response, the head of the Nasimi police department Musa Musayev filed a libel suit. On 3 May the Surakhani District Court sentenced Huseynov to two years in prison, finding him guilty of libel » » » »

Baku Court of Appeal, chaired by Judge Aflatun Gasimov, continued the proceedings on blogger Mehman Huseynov’s appeal.

At the hearing, Mehman’s lawyers stressed the importance of viewing the security camera recordings from 9 January from the area, where Mehman Huseynov had been detained, and from Nasimi District Police Department. » » » »

Baku Court of Appeal held a hearing on Mehman Huseynov’s appeal. Judge Aflatun Gasimov presided over the hearing. Members of the local public and representatives from the US, Norway and the EU attended the proceedings. » » » »

Baku Court of Appeal held a preliminary hearing on blogger Mehman Huseynov’s case. Judge Aflatun Gasimov presided over the hearing.

At the hearing, plaintiff’s representative Alirza Abilov confirmed the lawsuit of Nasimi District Police Department Chief Musa Musayev. » » » »

Mehman Huseynov’s trial will be held on November 3rd at 3pm. The criminal case against him is based on Article 147.2 of the Criminal Code, Criminal Defamation. He was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment on March 3rd. The case was sent to the Baku Court of Appeals for reconsideration and submitted to Judge Aflatun Gasimov. » » » »

IFEX, the global network of 119 organisations dedicated to promoting and defending the right to freedom of expression and information, strongly condemns the decision by the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan to return the case of Mehman Huseynov, chair of IFEX member the Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety, to the appellate court that had previously convicted him. » » » »

The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) condemns the fact that the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan has failed to release the journalist and human rights defender Mehman Huseynov, and instead referred his case the Court of Appeal. » » » »

Joint Statement

As World Press Freedom Day is celebrated across the globe on May 3, we, the undersigned organizations, cannot forget the untenable price journalists pay for government criticism in Azerbaijan. The case of Mehman Huseynov is emblematic. Huseynov is a popular journalist and blogger in Azerbaijan who is known for his hard-hitting exposés of alleged corruption by senior Azerbaijani officials. In March 2017, a Baku court sentenced him to two years in prison on charges of defaming an entire police station, after he gave a statement in front of the courthouse in which he described the abuses he had suffered at that police station. » » » »

On 27 April, Baku Court of Appeal chaired by Judge Gail Mammadov heard the appeal brought against Sabail District Court’s decision of 28 March 2017 in the caseconcerning prominent blogger and human rights activist Mehman Huseynov’s subjection to torture in police custody.

Mehman Huseynov did not attend court. He substantiated his absence by his sickness and by the a direct transfer from Prison #14, where he is held, to Baku Court of Appeal. » » » »

IRFS Chairman, blogger Mehman Huseynov, who has recently been sentenced to two years in jail, has been transferred to Prison #14 of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice, as reported by lawyer Elchin Sadigov.

Common-regime prison #14 is located far from Baku, in Gizildash settlement of Garadag district. The prison is infamous for protest actions stemming from the cases of torture. There is currently no other political prisoner except Mehman Huseynov in this prison. » » » »