Fatullaev's defense in Azerbaijan intends to appeal against journalist's sentence

Isakhan Ashurov, the lawyer of Einulla Fatullaev, chief editor of the newspaper "Real Azerbaijan", who has been sentenced to a new term, calls the court today's ruling "illegal and unfair" and states that the verdict will be appealed against in the court of appeal.

For reference, today, the Garadak district court of Baku chaired by Ismail Khalilov has announced a sentence under the new charge to journalist Einulla Fatullaev who already serves his term in prison.

The court found Fatullaev guilty under article 234.1 (illegal storage of drugs) and sentenced him to 2.5 years of imprisonment (Elchin Naghiev, state prosecutor, requested 3 years of imprisonment for Fatullaev). Additionally, the court ruled to exact 70 manats (about 84 dollars) from Fatullaev as court expenses of the prosecution.

By the decision of the judge, the new count of the Fatullaev's punishment starts from July 6, 2010, rather than from December 31, 2009, when Fatullaev was transferred from the colony to the pre-trial prison in connection with the new charge against him.

Fatullaev himself calls the ruling "a disgrace" and "an indication of lack of fair justice in Azerbaijan".

Fatullaev says that the punishment by prison is not going to break him down and that he is going to fight to the end. "There will be no compromises: it is either everything or nothing", says the convicted journalist.