AVAZ ZEYNALLI MEETS WITH HIS FAMILY IN PRISON

On March 17, imprisoned editor-in-chief of Xural newspaper Avaz Zeynalli met his family and the Xural representative Nizami Hasanli in prison, reports xural.com.

The website reports that Avaz Zeynalli said in the meeting that that his physical and psychological situation is normal. It was also reported that Ombudsman Office employees also met with Avaz Zeynalli a few days ago. Zeynalli noted that he has personally witnessed how his letters are prevented from being sent by the prison leadership.

BACKGROUND
Xural was published weekly from October of 2002 and daily beginning September 20th, 2011. The property of the newspapers was confiscated on October 19th for its failure to pay a total of 19,000 AZN in court-issued fines to Presidential Administration Head Ramiz Mehdiyev, Mass Media State Support Fund Executive Director Vugar Safarli, and others. The newspaper was prevented from publishing on October 21st as printing houses refused to print the newspaper. On October 28th, Xural editor-in-chief Avaz Zeynalli was detained by officers from the Anti-Corruption Department and sentenced to three months of pre-trial detention. His arrest was based on a complaint filed with the Anti-Corruption Department by ruling YAP MP Gular Ahmadova.  A criminal case was launched against him under Articles 311.3.3 (taking a large bribe) and 311.3.4 (taking a bribe in conjunction with threats) of the Criminal Code by the Fight Against Corruption Department of the General Prosecutor’s Office.