Binagady District Court held the final hearing on the case against Anar Bayramli, correspondent of Iranian Sahar TV in Azerbaijan.
The public prosecutor Elshan Mammadov asked the court to sentence Bayramli to 2.5 years in jail. Lawyer Anar Gasimli declared that testimonies of the witnesses were contestable, and that the written description of the circumstances of the arrest given by Police Office #4 was inaccurate. He also emphasized that he had no expectations of a fair trial.
In his closing speech, Anar Bayramli stated his innocence, and declared that he is a victim of slander, targeted for his work as a journalist. After the deliberation judge Tarlan Akbarov announced his decision, sentencing Bayramli to two years in jail.
Bayramli was detained on February 17th by officers from Binagadi District Police Office #4, who reportedly found 4 milligrams of heroin in his pockets. He was charged under article 234.1 of the Criminal Code (illegal manufacturing, purchase, possession, transportation, transfer or selling of narcotics, and psychotropic substances).
In his closing speech, Anar Bayramli stated his innocence, and declared that he is a victim of slander, targeted for his work as a journalist. After the deliberation judge Tarlan Akbarov announced his decision, sentencing Bayramli to two years in jail.
Bayramli was detained on February 17th by officers from Binagadi District Police Office #4, who reportedly found 4 milligrams of heroin in his pockets. He was charged under article 234.1 of the Criminal Code (illegal manufacturing, purchase, possession, transportation, transfer or selling of narcotics, and psychotropic substances).