Publicist Rafig Taghi and Samir Sadagatoghli, Editor-in-Chief of Newspaper Sanat issued an article insulting the personality of Prophet Muhammad. They were accused of insulting the Prophet and have been examined with the participation of their lawyers during the pre-trial investigation in Bayil Pre-Trial Isolator 1 today, on November 28. The rights of the accused persons are defended by the lawyer Sayad Mammadov, a member of the Azerbaijan Collegiums of Lawyers, Trend reports.
The investigation is held by the Inquiry Department on Serious Crimes of the Azerbaijan Public Prosecutor office. Anvar Hamidov, Prosecutor of this Law Enforcement Body examined the accused journalists.
Mr. Taghi admitted that he insulted the Prophet Muhammad in the article Europe and US in Newspaper Sanat of November 1, 2006.
The Public Prosecutor Office has initiated a criminal case against Mr. Taghi and Mr. S. Sadagatoghli on Article 283.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (actions aimed at raising national, racial, religious animosity, humiliating the national dignity, as well as actions aimed at restricting the rights of the citizens, or establishing the superiority of some citizens on their national and racial characteristics, attitude toward religion, if the actions committed in public, or using media sources).
On November 15, the Nasimi District Court made a decision on punishing them for a two-month arrest and brought them to the inquiry. However, no lawyer had undertaken the defence of the rights of Mr. Taghi and Mr. Sadagatoghli for a long time. Finally, close relatives of the accused journalists have hired Sayad Mamadov, lawyer to defend their rights in the court.
