Grave Crimes Investigation Department under the State Prosecutor’s Office has decided to test the blood and urine of Tolishi-Sado newspaper editor-in-chief Hilal Mammadov to determine drug use, Mammadov’s lawyer Yalchin Imanov reported to the IRFS about it on July 16th.
According to the lawyer, Hilal Mammadov and the defendant do not rely on the results of the Forensic Medical Examination Center: “Therefore we propose a separate forensic examination with our own funds. When they take the blood and urine tests we shall also take samples for test” said the lawyer adding that Hilal Mammadov had been transferred from the Shuvalan Investigative Prison #3 to Kurdakhani investigative prison without his lawyers being informed.
Tolishi-Sado editor-in-chief Hilal Mammadov was detained on June 21st 2012. Nizami District Police Office opened a criminal case against him under article 234.4.3 (illegal manufacture, purchase, storage, transfer, transport or sale of drugs in a large quantity). If convicted under this Article Mammadov may face confiscation of his property and imprisonment for up to 12 years. On June 22nd, Nizami District Court sentenced Hilal Mammadov to 3 months of pre-trial detention. He is currently held in Baku Investigative Prison. On July 3rd Hilal Mammadov faced new charges under Articles 274 (high treason) and 283 (inciting national, racial, social and religious hatred, hostility and ethnic discrimination).