What are Azerbaijani poets judged in Iran for?

August 7, 2012 in Tabriz has been beginning a court process at Azerbaijani poets Farid Hussein and Shakhriyar Hajizade who were arrested in Iran three months ago.

Farid Hussein and Shakhriyar Hajizade were detained by the Iranian secret service on May 2, 2012 in Tabriz. Until now the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and media have not exactly informed the reason of their arrest and essence of accusations.

At the end of July 2012, Iranian authorities allowed Hussein and Hajizade to meet with Nariman Orujaliyev, the vice-consul of Azerbaijan in Tabriz.

According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, at a meeting with vice-consul the poets said that they are accused of illegal entry into Iran.

However, Prosecutor of General and Revolutionary Court of Ardebil province Yousif Hudadadi in an interview on “Sahar” TV channel said there are four citizens of Azerbaijan in Ardabil prison who are accused of drug smuggling and espionage.

On August 7, 2012 a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran Seyed Abbas Araghchi told IRNA, that arrested Azerbaijani citizens are accused of crimes related to security issues of Iran.

According to 1news, the press service of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said that on August 7, 2012 at the court process Farid Hussein and Shahryar Hajizade answered questions and completely denied all charges against them.

According to the press service, a judge said after court hearing that a sentence will be passed in a few days, but he did not say at what article has been initiated a criminal case.

However, a first part of the press service message contrary to a second one.

If poets completely denied the charges against them, it means that the charges were still clear and it was clear at which Article initiated a criminal case.

Does the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry such low opinion of the logical abilities of our citizens and hopes to get rid of such third-rate deception?

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