Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. К.Zarbaliyeva / The chairman of the Azerbaijani Anti Torture Committee will appeal to the President and Public Prosecutor General to release the arrested editor-in-chief of the Azerbaijani newspaper Azadlig or put him under house arrest, Elchin Behbudov, the chairman of the Committee, said.
Behbudov together with the lawyer Osman Kazimov met with Zahid, who is being detained in Bayil isolation cell 1 of the Penal Service at the Justice Ministry of Azerbaijan. Zahid claimed of a headache and eye-sight problems.
On the evening of 11 November, Zahid was called to Yasamal District Court in Baku and was detained as a suspect. He faces hooliganism and assault charges. Zahid is currently being held in a preliminary detention cell. On 12 November, Yasamal District Court sentenced him to a two month prison term.
According to Zahid, he was not put under pressure and he had no claims against prison conditions.
International organizations including the United States State Department expressed alarm due to arrest of Zahid and seven other journalists.
Eight journalists are being detained in prison in Azerbaijan.
Zahid's brother a partner of Azadlig newspaper, Mirza Sakit, was arrested in 2006 for illegal possession, purchase and transport of drugs.