NAKHCHIVAN APPELLATE COURT UPHOLDS RULING AGAINST RADIO LIBERTY CORRESPONDENT

Today in Nakhchivan City’s Appellate Court, under the chairmanship of Judge Ali Allahverdiyev, the complaint against Nakhchivan City court of first instance’s decision to sentence “Radio Liberty” correspondent Ilgar Nasibov to one year of probation was considered.

Malahat Nasibova the wife of “Radio Liberty” correspondent Ilgar Nasibov told this to the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety. According to Nasibova, the court hearing started at 10 a.m. and lasted till 4 p.m. Though Ilgar Nasibov filed two petitions during the hearing, the judge fulfilled none of them. In the first petition, Ilgar Nasibov asked the court to allow the usage for photo cameras and dictaphones in the courtroom. In the second petition Nasibov demanded that Nakhchivan Police Department employees to pay compensation, due to financial-moral damages caused by him and his family during the search conducted in his home.   

After this, the judge announced a break and so be could conduct consultations and adopt a decision on the case. Upon returning, Allahverdiyev announced that upheld the decision adopted by Nakhchivan City Court. Malahat Nasibova noted that, a cassation complaint will now be filed.  

On 6 December 2007 I. Nasibov was sentenced to three months of imprisonment; however he was released on the basis of an Appellate Court decision dated December 10. On the same day that Nasibov was released,  the Nakhchivan City Court also handed down to I. Nasibov a one year suspended sentence on the basis of a different lawsuit put forth by Nakchivan State University Director, Milli Mejlis deputy Isa Habibbeyli, and employees of the same university Emin Ujar and Nizami Aloyev.