Azerbaijani blogger sentenced to 2 years in prison

Mehman Huseynov, a prominent blogger and moderator of ‘Sancaq’ (pin) website, was sentenced to 2 years in prison. Huseynov was found guilty of libel against the law-enforcement agencies and was arrested in the court room.

In his final speech, Mehman Huseynov stated that it was an order from above in response to his activity.

Mehman Huseynov was arrested by some unidentified individuals in civvies, in Baku center, on January 9. He was taken in unknown direction. A few hours later, Huseynov reported that he was staying in Baku’s Nasimi district police department. He added that when being arrested, he had been subjected to violence and was tortured during the interrogation. “I was attacked by 8 individuals; my mouth was sealed with tape; I was tortured using electric shocker and was shoved into a vehicle. On the way I was beaten and I could feel the blood running from my nose. They probably expected that I would beg for mercy, but I didn’t do that. I was brought to some place, tortured and humiliated in any possible way. I told them, I was not going to give up on my job no matter what they did to me.”

The next day, under the court ruling, Huseynov was imposed AZN200 fine for ‘offering resistance to the police’.

Commenting on the blogger’s accusations, Ehsan Zahidov, police colonel and spokesperson for Azerbaijani Interior Ministry, claimed that Mehman Huseynov’s words were a mere lie:

“People aren’t beaten and hit with electrical shockers in the law-enforcement agencies. Mehman Huseynov has made the whole thing up; everything he says are just tales and libel. Police officers can sue Mehman for that, but they show their humanism and don’t do that. Who is Mehman Huseynov and who is promoting him so much? Dozens of people are arrested and fined for violation of public order daily. Mehman was also fined for violation of public order,” Zahidov summarized.

Torture-related allegations gave ground for a libel lawsuit. Initially, the prosecutor insisted on 3-year sentence for Huseynov. However, the judge sentenced Huseynov to 2 years in prison.

“A verdict against Mehman Huseynov demonstrates a political will. I believe that the court didn’t make an independent decision,” Elchin Sadygov, the defendant’s lawyer, told journalists after the trial – Azadlyg radio station reports.

• Sancaq production’s Facebook page:
• Mehman Huseynov’s scandalous video about the Emergency Minister’s business: