On 2 July, Media Rights Institute Employee, lawyer Elchin Sadigov visited imprisoned “Azadlig” Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ganimat Zahid in Prison #17. The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety was told this by E.Sadigov.
According to Sadigov, during the meeting they mostly talked about mitigating Ganimat’s sentence since he has served 1/3 of his prison term.
“Ganimat hesitates about this issue. Therefore I explained to him that he has right to appeal to court to substitute the rest of his term with lighter punishment and conditional imprisonment (probation),” said E.Sadigov. “Ganimat said he will think about it and will state his decision during the next meeting.”
Ganimat Zahid was convicted under articles 127.2.3 (hooliganism with intentional infliction of minor bodily harm) and 221 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code and imprisoned for four years. These charges are widely understood to be spurious and Zahid is considered a prisoner of conscience.
“Ganimat hesitates about this issue. Therefore I explained to him that he has right to appeal to court to substitute the rest of his term with lighter punishment and conditional imprisonment (probation),” said E.Sadigov. “Ganimat said he will think about it and will state his decision during the next meeting.”
Ganimat Zahid was convicted under articles 127.2.3 (hooliganism with intentional infliction of minor bodily harm) and 221 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code and imprisoned for four years. These charges are widely understood to be spurious and Zahid is considered a prisoner of conscience.