Yesterday, 28 January, European Court of Human Rights President Jean-Paul Costa held a press conference in Strasburg regarding the operation of the court in the European countries.
He said that in the near future the European Court of Human Rights will issue a decision on the appeal of Gundelik Azerbaijan and Realniy Azerbaijan Newspapers’ Editor-in-chief Eynulla Fatullayev. The President added that as the president of the court he could not comment about the cases that are in the stage of decision.
Radio Liberty Azerbaijan Service reporter said that new accusations were put against the editor-in-chief and asked if the accusation would be considered in the decision to be issued. “In the event of a new accusation, a new appeal should be sent to the European Court of Human Rights,” said Jean-Paul Costa who stated that he had heard about new accusations, but it is difficult for him to comment on the issue.
To watch the video related to the press conference:http://www.echr.coe.int/echr/Homepage_EN
On 29 December, 0.223 grams heroin was found on Fatullayev. Eynulla Fatullayev and his lawyer assess this incident as an operation set-up to prevent the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the journalist in the near future. A criminal case was opened against Fatullayev in the Gardag District Investigative Department under article 234.1 of the Criminal Code (Illegal purchase or storage without a purpose of selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption) and he was transferred to the Baku Investigative Prison #2 on 2 January.
Eynulla Fatullayev was sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment on 21 April 2007 for insulting honor and dignity. Later he was convicted under articles 214.1 (threatening terror), 283.2.2 (incitement of ethnic/national, social or religious hatred abusing authority), and 213.2.2 (tax evasion) of the Criminal Code and was sentenced to 8.5 years of imprisonment on 30 October 2007. Prior to the new charge against him, Fatullayev was serving his sentence in prison #12.
Realniy Azerbaijan has been published as weekly newspaper, and Gundelik Azerbaijan was published as a daily newspaper since 2005. Eynulla Fatullayev established the newspapers and was the editor-in-chief of both publications. The newspapers ceased their activity after the arrest of the editor-in-chief in 2007.