Journalist and blogger convicted in Azerbaijan for criticizing official

The court has sentenced Elchin Gasanzade, a journalist and a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), and Ibragim Tyurksoi, a blogger, to eight months in prison each on charges of defamation and insult.

Elchin Gasanzade and Ibragim Tyurksoi were arrested in the room of the Sheki Court of Appeal after the verdict was passed.

The lawsuit against Gasanzade and Tyurksoi was filed by the head of the Mingachevir city housing and exploitation department, who considered the critical publications about himself in social networks as slander and insult, the "meydan.tv" reports.

Earlier, the Mingachevir court sentenced both to a year of correctional labour, but Gasanzade and Tyurksoi appealed against that sentence. Then, the Court of Appeal ruled to shorten the term, the "turan.az" informed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in April 2020, Elchin Gasanzade, a journalist and a member of the Supreme Majlis of the PFPA, complained about an unjustified call to the police. He expressed fear that he would be arrested, since earlier the editor of the party's website, Elchin Mamed, had been brought to criminal responsibility. Besides, 10 party activists were arrested the day before.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 4, 2021 at 06:00 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.