COURT SENTENCED SERGEI STREKALIN TO 1.5 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT
03/06/2009
Submitted by
Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan
COURT SENTENCED SERGEI STREKALIN TO 1.5 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT
BAKU/15.07.08/TURAN: Shahin Abdullayev, judge of Nasimi region court, sentenced Sergei Strekalin charged with attack on Agil Halil, Azadlig daily’s journalist, to 1.5 years of imprisonment in general regime colony. Strekalin pleaded guilty under articles 127.1 (deliberate inflicting of damage to health) and 234.1 (acquisition or storage of drugs).
Journalist Halil said the case was not investigated objectively, because Strekalin did not stab him on March 13, 2008. As soon as the verdict has been announced, Halil shouted: “Shame on Such Unfair Court!” Halil said the judgment is illegal and announced his intention to appeal against it. Julian Markart-Harten, representative of Baku OSCE office, told TURAN’s correspondent that the office watches closely all journalists’ cases and OSCE special representative on press freedom Miklosh Harashti will express his attitude towards it. On March 13, 2008 two persons attacked Agil Halil in the street and stabbed him in the heart. The journalist links this attack with previous attack on him in the olivewood on February 22, 2008, while he was making a report about illegal purchase-sale of land. The persons photographed by the journalists were officers of National Security Ministry. Afterwards the journalist was pressured to refuse of his complaint to police department in exchange of pecuniary compensation. As soon as the journalist has refused, his matter was brought to Prosecutor’s Office. On April 7, 2008 General Prosecutor’s Office refuted political version of the case and stated that the crime has been committed by the journalist’s “sexual partner.” But Halil strongly refuted these assertions and accused the Prosecutor’s Office of blackmail and tortures. Despite numerous protests and appeals of international organizations, Azerbaijani authorities did not refuse of their version of Agil Halil’s case.
COURT OF APPEALS REFUSES TO CONDUCT PARTIAL INVESTIGATION OF SERGEY STREKALIN’S CASE
BAKU/12.08.08/TURAN: The trial on the case of Sergey Strekalin accused of the attack on the journalist of the Azadlig newspaper, Aghil Khalil on March 13, 2008, took place on Tuesday in the Baku Court of Appeals under the chairmanship of the Judge, Gail Mammadov.
On July 15 Strekalin was sentenced to 1.5 years under two Articles of the Criminal Code: 127.1 (Deliberate Causing of Small Damage to Health) and 234.1 (Buying and Storing Drugs.)
Strekalin’s lawyer, Akif Melikov asked the court to announce Strekalin not guilty under Article 234.1 (Buying and Storing Drugs.)
The journalist’s lawyer, Elchin Sadigov asked the court to announce the fellow not guilty under Article 127.1 (Deliberate Causing of Small Damage to Health,) as he had nothing to do with the attack on Aghil Khalil. Sadigov asked to conduct an extra inquiry on behalf of the court (and not the initial investigation bodies). He said the court should ask the mobile telecom operator to confirm whether the insulting SMS messages were really sent to Strekalin from Khalil’s cell phone.
After short consultations the court declined Sadigov’s appeal, and the consideration of the case was appointed for August 27. Sadigov will appeal against today’s refusal of the court to conduct any extra inquiry.
* On March 13, 2008 an unknown man attacked Aghil Khalil and stabbed him. Journalist is sure it was not Strekalin, who did not have any relation to this crime. --
BAKU/15.07.08/TURAN: Shahin Abdullayev, judge of Nasimi region court, sentenced Sergei Strekalin charged with attack on Agil Halil, Azadlig daily’s journalist, to 1.5 years of imprisonment in general regime colony. Strekalin pleaded guilty under articles 127.1 (deliberate inflicting of damage to health) and 234.1 (acquisition or storage of drugs).
Journalist Halil said the case was not investigated objectively, because Strekalin did not stab him on March 13, 2008. As soon as the verdict has been announced, Halil shouted: “Shame on Such Unfair Court!” Halil said the judgment is illegal and announced his intention to appeal against it. Julian Markart-Harten, representative of Baku OSCE office, told TURAN’s correspondent that the office watches closely all journalists’ cases and OSCE special representative on press freedom Miklosh Harashti will express his attitude towards it. On March 13, 2008 two persons attacked Agil Halil in the street and stabbed him in the heart. The journalist links this attack with previous attack on him in the olivewood on February 22, 2008, while he was making a report about illegal purchase-sale of land. The persons photographed by the journalists were officers of National Security Ministry. Afterwards the journalist was pressured to refuse of his complaint to police department in exchange of pecuniary compensation. As soon as the journalist has refused, his matter was brought to Prosecutor’s Office. On April 7, 2008 General Prosecutor’s Office refuted political version of the case and stated that the crime has been committed by the journalist’s “sexual partner.” But Halil strongly refuted these assertions and accused the Prosecutor’s Office of blackmail and tortures. Despite numerous protests and appeals of international organizations, Azerbaijani authorities did not refuse of their version of Agil Halil’s case.
COURT OF APPEALS REFUSES TO CONDUCT PARTIAL INVESTIGATION OF SERGEY STREKALIN’S CASE
BAKU/12.08.08/TURAN: The trial on the case of Sergey Strekalin accused of the attack on the journalist of the Azadlig newspaper, Aghil Khalil on March 13, 2008, took place on Tuesday in the Baku Court of Appeals under the chairmanship of the Judge, Gail Mammadov.
On July 15 Strekalin was sentenced to 1.5 years under two Articles of the Criminal Code: 127.1 (Deliberate Causing of Small Damage to Health) and 234.1 (Buying and Storing Drugs.)
Strekalin’s lawyer, Akif Melikov asked the court to announce Strekalin not guilty under Article 234.1 (Buying and Storing Drugs.)
The journalist’s lawyer, Elchin Sadigov asked the court to announce the fellow not guilty under Article 127.1 (Deliberate Causing of Small Damage to Health,) as he had nothing to do with the attack on Aghil Khalil. Sadigov asked to conduct an extra inquiry on behalf of the court (and not the initial investigation bodies). He said the court should ask the mobile telecom operator to confirm whether the insulting SMS messages were really sent to Strekalin from Khalil’s cell phone.
After short consultations the court declined Sadigov’s appeal, and the consideration of the case was appointed for August 27. Sadigov will appeal against today’s refusal of the court to conduct any extra inquiry.
* On March 13, 2008 an unknown man attacked Aghil Khalil and stabbed him. Journalist is sure it was not Strekalin, who did not have any relation to this crime. --
