18 May 2011, 22:30
Azerbaijan: Bakhtiyar Gadjiev sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment
Today, the Nizami District Court of the city of Gandzha, chaired by Emin Akhundov, finalized the trial of Bakhtiyar Gadjiev.
The court found the public activist guilty under Article 321.1 (evasion from military service) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan and sentenced him to 2 years of imprisonment.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that state prosecutor Alexei Abbasov asked the court to award this particular punishment to the defendant.
The verdict was announced in the presence of the defendant, his lawyer Alaif Gasanov, an official from the OSCE Office in Baku and Gadjiev's relatives.
The defendant and his advocate refused from the last statement in protest against the "biased judicial investigation."
Bakhtiyar's public support group has also boycotted the today's session.
According to Vugar Gadjiev, Bakhtiyar's brother, the defendant took the sentence "calmly, with cheerful mood."
Bakhtiyar Gadjiev himself called the verdict "unfair and politically motivated."
In his turn, the defendant's lawyer Alaif Gasanov said that the verdict would be challenged.
The prosecution party refused to comment on the verdict. "The position of the court is reflected in the verdict," said the officials of Nizami District Court.
Author: Faik Medzhid Source: CK correspondent
