Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend K.Zarbaliyeva / The Azerbaijani Court refused to free editor-in-chief of the newspaper Azadlyg, Ganimat Zahid, on security grounds. Zahid's lawyer Elchin Sadigli said that the Yasamal District Court of Baku rejected the petition to free the journalist.
The lawyer said that he will make an appeal to Baku Appeal Court.
On the evening of 11 November, Zahid was called to Yasamal District Court in Baku and was detained as a suspect. He faced 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.
Zahid was attacked by Vusal Huseynov and called the police. However, he was arrested because of a complaint made by Huseynov. Huseynov was also arrested.
If the accusations are proven, the journalist will be sentenced to nearly three years in prison. Zahid considers his arrest provocation. There are eight media representatives imprisoned in Azerbaijan on criminal defamation and other charges.