Azerbaijan, Baku, 17 march / Trend corr. K.Zarbaliyeva / The appeal by Eynulla Fatullayev, jailed chief editor of Gundalik Azerbaijan and Realni Azerbaijan newspapers, was passed for execution.
Fatullayev, editor-in-chief of the Gundalik Azerbaijan and Realni Azerbaijan newspapers was sentenced to eight years and six months of imprisonment after the decision of Heinous Crimes Court on 30 October. On 30 Oct 2007, the sentence was read in the Heinous Crimes Court of Azerbaijan. Fatullayev was charged of violating Articles 214.1 (terrorism), 283.2.2 (hostility) and 213.2.2 (tax evasion) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. Fatullayev allegedly had not paid tax in the amount of AZN 242,522.
Fatullayev was charged as a result of articles published in his newspapers by the lawsuit of Tatyana Chaladzeh, head of the State Committee on Refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDP), on 20 April.
The appeal was submitted to the Judge Muzaffar Agazadeh for consideration, a spokes person informed Trend .
Three journalists have been kept in prison because of their professional activity in Azerbaijan. Five other jailed journalists were released by the order issued by the Azerbaijani President.
It is expected that another decree on pardon by the Azerbaijani President on the threshold of Novruz Holidays, will be issued. The list, which includes the names of journalists, was developed by Pardon Commission at the Presidential Administration.
