On 14 December, Jalilabad Regional Court held another hearing on the criminal case of journalist Afgan Sadigov, who is charged under Article 127.2.3 (deliberate infliction of minor serious harm to health in publicly dangerous way or from hooligan prompting) of the Criminal Code, journalist’s lawyer Elchin Sadigov said.
According to the two witnesses questioned at the hearing, the journalist allegedly hit the victim’s head against the wall repeatedly. However, no traces of blood were left on the victim.
The lawyer said the photos taken at the incident scene showed no traces anywhere, including the corner of the wall, which proved the allegations to be nothing but fabrication.
“These are the words that Afgan Sadigov told the witnesses: ‘I am no better than Huseyn Javid, Mikayil Mushfig or Ahmad Javad. They cared about their people, but eventually some individuals coming from the very people framed them’. He does not resent these people who framed him for a better life. Time will put everything in its place,” Elchin Sadigov said.
The next hearing was set for 6 January 2017, 10 am.
Background: Azel.tv website founder and editor Afgan Sadigov was detained on November 22. He was charged under Article 127.2.3 (deliberate infliction of minor serious harm to health in publicly dangerous way or from hooligan prompting) of the Criminal Code. The journalist is accused of attacking and punching a woman by name Aliya Rzayeva in the corridor of the building of Jalilabad Regional Executive Power in August. The incident was immediately documented and classified by the police as infliction of damage to health. However, the journalist does not consider himself as guilty and has maintained that he has been arrested for his journalistic activities, particularly for exposing lawlessness in the region.