Court announces verdict against Faiq Amirli

On 24 July 2017 a court held a hearing in the criminal case initiated against Faiq Amirli, assistant to the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party’s chairman and director of the “Azadlıq” newspaper, APA reports.

During the hearing, the attorneys asked for an acquittal of Amirli.

After a consultation, the jury announced their verdict, sentencing Amirli to three years and three months in prison and levying on him a fine of 39,000 manats.

Amir was detained on August 20, 2016. He is charged under articles 283.1 (actions aimed at incitement of national, racial, social or religious hatred, humiliation of national dignity, as well as actions aimed at restricting the rights of citizens on the basis of their national, racial or religious affiliation – actions committed publicly or with the use of mass media) and 168.1 (creation of group which are carrying out activity under pretext of distribution of religious faiths and implementation of religious activities and by this illegally interfere in social order, or harming health of citizens or breaking rights of citizens irrespective form infringement, and also distracting citizens from performance of duties provided by the law and as well as a management of such group or participation in it). Books by Fetullah Gulen, leader of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FEOT), were found in his car.

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