Speaking to the court, V. Khasayev asked for a new court investigation to be conducted and for Huseynov’s participation in the hearing to be ensured. The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety also put forth a petition to be allowed to photograph and film the hearing.
Then Judge Mirzayev learned the state prosecutor’s position on these matters. The state prosecutor said, “Even though this is an open hearing, I think that the petition to photograph and film the trial should not be fulfilled. The petition court to conduct a new court investigation should not be fulfilled. The petition to get the imprisoned here should be fulfilled. After this the judge announced a recess and the court went for deliberations.”
Upon returning from the deliberations, it was announced that only the petition to bring Mushfig Huseynov to the hearing was approved. Regarding IRFS’ petition to film and photograph the hearing, the judge said, “Because this is only a preliminary hearing, we will discuss this during actual consideration of the complaint.
The next hearing on this case is scheduled to take place on 29 March at 2:30 p.m.
Recall that on 21 January 2008 the Grave Crimes Court under the chairmanship of Judge Jamal Ramazanov sentenced to Huseynov six years of imprisonment and an additional two year period during which Huseynov is forbidden from working as a journalist.