Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr K. Zarbaliyeva / The court hearing on the appeal for the court decision concerning Mehdi Mehdiyev was held on 19 April presided by Judge Mehdi Mehdiyev. The next hearing has been indefinitely postponed due to the defendant not being brought to court.
Mehdiyev is charged in compliance with Articles 221.1 (hooliganism), 233 (participation in or organization of actions that disturb public order), and 315.1 (resistance of arrest) of the Criminal Code. By the decision of the Sabayil District Court he is accused of beating Sahil Karimov, Leader TV Broadcasting Channel's employee, after the presidential elections of 2003. He has been condemned to four years imprisonment.
Mehdiyev is held in Correctional Facility 10.
Human rights activist Chingiz Ganizadeh, noted that Mehdiyev had been included in the list of political prisoners, whish was submitted to the Council of Europe. The case was brought to court for a proper investigation after the adoption of PACE requirements as a result of its latest resolution dealing with Azerbaijan.