Today, 24 November, in the Nasimi District Court, under the chairmanship of Judge Ikram Shirinov, a hearing was conducted on the lawsuit of “Tolishi Sado” Newspaper Editor-in-chief N.Mammadov`s wife Maryam Mammadova and son Emil Mammadov against the Finance Ministry, the Justice Ministry’s Penitentiary Services, the Chief Medical Office of the Justice Ministry, Prison #15 and the Penitentiary Service’s Treatment Facility for the journalist’s death.
Medical Sanitary Department Chief of prison #15 Kamal Rustamov gave witness account during the hearing.
Plaintiff’s lawyer R.Mammadov said that the signatures on Novruzali Mammadov`s medical cards did not belong to Medical Sanitary Department Chief of prison #15 Kamal Rustamov, and that there were differences between signatures. Then the lawyer filed a motion to conduct a handwriting analysis and call K.Rustamov to court.
K.Rustamov stated that the signatures on Novruzali Mammadov`s medical card belonged to him.
Lawyer R.Mammadov said that Rustamov did not tell the truth.
Judge I.Shirinov scheduled the next hearing on this case for 25 November at 10:00 to announce the decision.
Maryam and Emil Mammadov asked the court to consider the failure by the defendants to execute the decision (6 February 2009, #6(007)-7/09) of the Nizami District Court regarding the late Novruzali Mammadov’s examination and treatment a law violation, and to be paid three million AZN in compensation in return for moral damages caused as a result of the defendants’ negligence.
“Tolishi Sado” Newspaper Editor-in-chief N.Mammadov died in the Justice Ministry’s Penitentiary Services’ Central Hospital on 17 August 2009. In 2007, during a closed hearing, N.Mammadov was sentenced to ten year imprisonment under article 274 (treason) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan Republic. However, N.Mammadov, who had Talysh nationality, did not consider himself guilty and claimed that his arrest was related to ethnic-political motives and freedom of speech.