Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has accused the judicial authorities of a “crude manipulation” in the case of reporter Agil Khalil’s stabbing on March 13. A Sergey Strekalin appeared before a Baku court Thursday on charges of stabbing Khalil and consuming drugs.
“Despite international criticism, the Azerbaijani authorities are still trying to discredit Khalil by turning this stabbing into a vice case,” RSF said Saturday. “Khalil blames interior ministry officials for the stabbing but the authorities never paid any attention to his version. We firmly condemn the way this case is being manipulated. This trial is a sham.”
Strekalin said at the hearing that he gave his statement of his own free will. His lawyer did not speak. Neither Khalil nor Khalil’s lawyer, Elchin Sadygov, attended the hearing.
Khalil, who reports for the daily Azadlig, asked for a postponement because his lawyer was not available but prosecutor Eldar Gamzayev rejected the request on the grounds that it was just a preliminary hearing and Khalil’s presence was not necessary.
At the end of the hearing, presiding judge Shahin Abdullayev set the trial for June 20.
