Today, under the chairmanship of Baku Appellate Court Judge Abid Abdinbeyov, a preliminary hearing was conducted on the appeal against the decision to imprison “Azadlig” Newspaper Chief Editor Ganimet Zahid.
During the hearing, the judge announced that Zahid was not brought to the hearing because he refuses to participate.
Zahid’s lawyer Elchin Sadigov requested that a new court investigation be conducted. Then another lawyer for Zahid, Osman Kazimov, said that in light of all of motions that were introduced in the court of first instance and rejected, this was important.
State Prosecutor Murad Nasirov said that the conduction of a new court investigation was not necessary.
After this, the judge went into the consultation room, and then returned saying that a new court investigation will not be conducted. The case will be considered 7 May 2008 at 3 p.m.
Representatives from the U.S., Norwegian and German embassies in Azerbaijan were present at the hearing.