JAILED AZERBAIJANI JOURNALIST HIRES SECOND LAWYER

news.az
Feb 3 2010
Azerbaijan

Eynulla Fatullayev Eynulla Fatullayev hired a second lawyer yesterday,
Rashid Hajili, chairman of the Institute of Mass Media Rights.

Hajili said he would defend Fatullayev’s interests in court alongside
his other lawyer, Isakhan Ashurov.

"After concluding a contract with my defendant, the documents have
been transferred to the investigative bodies. I was planning to meet
Fatullayev today but this meeting fell through. We may discuss these
issues tomorrow," Hajili said.

He also said that the investigation into the journalist’s case is
nearing completion.

Eynulla Fatullayev, editor-in-chief of Gundalik Azerbaijan and Realny
Azerbaijan newspapers, was arrested by decision of Yasamal district
court on 20 April 2007. He was accused of insulting the people of
Khojaly in a series of articles "Karabakh Diary" and sentenced to
two-and-a-half-years imprisonment. Later, he faced additional charges
and was sentenced to eight-and-a-half-years on 30 October 2007.

The European Court for Human Rights is expected to hear Fatullayev’s
case early in 2010.

The prison service reported that 0.223g heroin had been found
on Eynulla Fatullayev in jail No 12 on 30 December 2009. He has
been charged under Article 234 of the Criminal Code (the illegal
manufacture, purchase, storage, transportation, transfer or sale of
narcotics or psychotropic substances).

One of two batches of tests found insignificant traces of heroin in
Eynulla Fatullayev’s blood, but lawyer Isakhan Ashurov said yesterday
that does not accept the results.