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Court finishes investigation of suit filed by Azerbaijani Interior Minister against editor-in-chief

21 January 2010 15:24 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Hafiz Heydarov â€“ APA. Yasamal district court has today held the next hearing on the suit filed by Azerbaijani Interior Minister Ramil Usubov against editor-in-chief of the Femida 007 newspaper Eyyub Karimov, APA reports. Khagani Tagiyev presided over the hearing. The judgment of the examination concerning Karimovâ€™s articles was announced. According to the judgment of experts, Karimov used slanderous phrases with respect to the interior bodies and Interior Minister Ramil Usubov. According to the examination, the journalist also used phrases that may damage the image of the Interior Ministry and Interior Minister Ramil Usubov.

The defendant did not agree to the expertsâ€™ judgment. He said the expertsâ€™ judgment cited the old literature, he later changed the phrases in his articles and petitioned for reexamination. The court rejected the petition.

Then the court decided to finalize investigation and gave the floor to the Ramil Usubovâ€™s lawyer Alirza Vekilov, who confirmed the accused personâ€™s guilt. He said Karimov understood his guilt, but didnâ€™t admit and therefore the sides couldnâ€™t reconcile. Abilov said Karimovâ€™s publications contained strong accusations against the Interior Ministry and Ramil Usubov. He said even some phrases in these publications could be charged with article 218 (establishing criminal group) of the Criminal Code. He asked the court to charge Karimov with article 147.2 (defamation with use of accusations in grave crimes).

The process will be continued on January 25.

Interior Minister Ramil Usubov filed lawsuit against Ayyub Karimov under article 147.2 because of Karimovâ€™s publications in the newspapers Azadlig and Femida 007.

If the court accepts the lawsuit, Karimov will face with two or three years of correctional work or restriction of freedom and three years of jail.