Azerbaijan, Baku, 7 March / corr. Trend K. Zarbaliyeva/ The editor-in-chief of Azadlig newspaper has been sentenced to 4 years imprisonment. The verdict was brought against the editor-in-chief Ganiamat Zahid and Vusal Hasanov Yasamal District Court of Baku which was presided over by Judge Sudaba Mammadova.
The court sentenced Vusal Hasanov to 1 and a half years' imprisonment.
The editor-in-chief Ganimat Zahid was detained because of the incident that took place on 7 November 2007 at 4:00 p.m. before the building of the Azerbaijan publishing house which accommodated the editorial staff of Azadlig newspaper. The dispute between Sevgilad Guliyeva and Vusal Hasanov and Ganimat Zahid resulted in them both getting involved in a fight. Hasanov appealed to the police office of the Yasamal district of Baku and a forensic medical examination that he undertook revealed a craniocerebral injury.
The court of Yasamal District of Baku decided to hold Ganimat Zahid, who was charged with deliberately inflicting harm, in custody for two months. The public prosecutor demanded that he receive a 5-year prison sentence. The lawyers of Ganimat Zahid said that they will appeal against the sentence.
Three journalists are currently detained in Azerbaijan at the moment.