Yesterday (9 July) the investigation on the lawsuit filed against well-known journalist Mahal ismayiloglu continued in the Absheron District Police Department. Ismayiloglu was interrogated with the woman who claims that he beat her.
Ismayiloglu told this to the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety and said that he is being falsely accused by a woman named Nasiba.
“During the confrontation the woman said persistently that she was beaten. Allegedly this was second time that I beat him,” said Ismayiloglu. “The most ridiculous thing is that she clamed that unknown, strange people saved her when I beat her. But this claim is totally untrue.”
According to M.Ismayloglu, his neighbors who were interrogated as witnesses testified that they didn’t witness the beating of a woman named Nasiba. Despite this, he thinks that there is a political order for his arrest, which they will realize through the use of this woman.
M. Ismayiloglu was called to the Absheron District Police Department on 27 June. In the department he was notified that his neighbor Vahid Imanov, who works in the Ministry of Interior, filed a complaint about him. In the complaint it is alleged that the journalist beat his neighbor's servant for dumping trash in his yard. A criminal case on Article 221.3 of the Criminal Code
(hooliganism with use of a weapon or weapon-like item) was opened against him.
Mahal Ismayiloglu worked as the editor-in-chief of "Khalg Gazeti" newspaper, one of the official newspapers of the Presidential Executive Administration, for years. He was dismissed in 2002, and is now writing for "Yeni Musavat" Newspaper.
According to Article 221.3 of Azerbaijan's Criminal Code, when hooliganism is committed using weapon or weapon-like item, the accused person might be imprisoned for up to three to seven years.