Today (17 October) in the Baku Appellate court, a preliminary hearing took place on the appeal of imprisoned "Azadlig" Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ganimat Zahid against the Sabail District Court’s decision (06.10.08) regarding the confiscation and destruction of the manuscripts of a book the journalist was writing while he was held in Bayil Prison #1.
Elchin Sadigov participated in the hearing as G.Zahid’s defense lawyer. However, the judge postponed the hearing until 29 December 11:30 a.m. due to the absence of the representative for the defense from Bayil Prison #1.
The first instance court, Sabail District Court, under the chairmanship of Judge Famil Nasibov, did not fulfill Zahid’s lawsuit.
According to Zahid, he wrote a book about modern history of Azerbaijan when he was held in Bayil Prison. Bayil Prison Head Misir Aliyev took a handwritten 300 page-long manuscript from Zahid, claiming he wanted to read it. The manuscripts then were sent to the Penitentiary Services of the Justice Ministry. Later M.Aliyev stated that the manuscripts had pieces against Azerbaijani government, ex-president Heydar Aliyev and incumbent president Ilham Aliyev and therefore they have been destroyed.
The first instance court, Sabail District Court, under the chairmanship of Judge Famil Nasibov, did not fulfill Zahid’s lawsuit.
According to Zahid, he wrote a book about modern history of Azerbaijan when he was held in Bayil Prison. Bayil Prison Head Misir Aliyev took a handwritten 300 page-long manuscript from Zahid, claiming he wanted to read it. The manuscripts then were sent to the Penitentiary Services of the Justice Ministry. Later M.Aliyev stated that the manuscripts had pieces against Azerbaijani government, ex-president Heydar Aliyev and incumbent president Ilham Aliyev and therefore they have been destroyed.