Journalist and blogger Elchin Hasanzadeh has been released today, having served his 8-month prison term in full.
Hasanzadeh told the Turan news agency that he was arrested on trumped-up charges and the real reason for his punishment was his exposure of corrupt activities of officials.
Hasanzadeh added that during his imprisonment he severely undermined his health.
“I got neurological diseases, kidney problems, bleeding of internal organs,” the journalist said.
At the same time, Hasanzadeh has no complaints about the conditions of detention and treatment in colony number 5.
The journalist said that he would appeal to the ECHR to recognize the illegality of his sentence.
Hasanzadeh said that despite his failing health he keeps his spirits up and intends as a journalist to continue his work “to expose the facts of corruption among officials.
On March 2 this year, the Sheki Court of Appeals sentenced Elchin Hasanzade and blogger Ibrahim Turksoy to 8 months of imprisonment on charges of slander and insult. The suit was filed by Shahriyar Mustafayev, head of the Mingachevir housing and utilities service.
Today the Turksoy’s sentence expired as well.