18:59, 17 November 2003

Supreme Court of Azerbaijan reduced convicts' sentences

While considering an appeal on November 14, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan reduced sentences of Alikram Aliyev, leader of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, and Jabrail Alizade, chair of the Union of Baku and Baku Villages. Earlier the Baku Court for Grave Crimes had found them guilty of organizing mass riots and hooliganism and sentenced Aliyev to 9 and Alizade to 8 years of imprisonment. The Supreme Court reduced Aliyev's sentence to an 8-year suspended term and Alizade's one to a 6-year suspended term.

Interior troops units were brought into Nardaran on June 3, 2002 to suppress mass demonstrations against a trying social situation. One man was killed as a result of the clashes. On April 1, 2003, 15 residents of Nardaran, including Aliyev and Alizade, were sentenced by the Baku Court for their resistance to public agents and arrangement for mass riots.

The other 13 convicts remain in prison so far.

Source: Prima News Agency