Azerbaijani court rules to arrest journalist Seimur Khazi

Today, Seimur Khazi (Khaziev), 32, an oppositional journalist and an observer of the "Azadlyg" (Freedom) newspaper, has been arrested by a court in Azerbaijan for two months. The journalist was charged with disorderly conduct (hooliganism).

The journalist is accused that on August 29 near a bus stop in the village of Djeiranbatan he "used violence against a certain Magerram Aliev, a resident of Baku, who he had not known before." According to investigators, the journalist "first cursed, and then hit him over the head with a glass bottle and then punched and kicked him in the face."

Elton Guliev, Khazi's advocate, has refuted the above version in his comments to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"In reality, the above man came to Seimur Khazi himself and began moving claims to him, and then rushed on Khazi and began beating him up. Seimur tried to self-defend and hit the attacker with a bottle, trying to move away from the aggressive man; however, the patrol service policemen, who appeared quite promptly', detained the journalist," said the lawyer.

He treats the arrest of his client as illegal. "Khazi committed no crime – he defended himself," said the lawyer, who intends to appeal against the arrest.

Khazi's colleagues and Guliev are confident that it was an obvious provocation with the aim to punish the journalist for his activities.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.