Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's Office: "Agil Khalilov was not beaten in the territory called “Zeytun bagi” on February 22 this year"

Azerbaijani General Prosecutor’s Office made a statement on the criminal case launched basing on the appeal of Azadlig newspaper correspondent Agil Khalil, who says he was knifed by unknown men in 523rd block in Ayna Sultanova Street of Baku on March 23 this year.

The press service for General Prosecutor’s Office told APA that taking into account that the sufferer is a journalist and the incident has created anxiety, the case was submitted to the Department for Investigating Grave Crimes of General Prosecutor’s Office on March 20.

The statement says the investigation found out that Agil Khalilov had been knifed by Strekalin Sergey Yuriyevich, man with abnormal orientation he had intercourse with. Strekalin admitted his crime during the interrogation. Strekalin faced charges under articles 127.1 and 234.1 (deliberate causing of minor serious harm to health) and (illegal purchase or storage without a purpose of selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption) of the criminal code and arrested.

The Prosecutor’s office notes that the investigation proved that the incident happened on personal relations, not because of Agil Khalil’s professional activity.

Now, regarding the fact that Agil Khalilov was beaten by unknown men in the territory called "Zeytun bagi" on February 22 this year. According to the judgment of the forensic medical examination, it was not proved that Agil Khalilov was beaten in the territory called "Zeytun bagi" on February 22 this year and therefore the inquiry on Azadlig newspaper correspondent Agil Khalil’s beating in the territory called “Zeytun bagi” has been dropped. The investigation did not prove either that somebody attempted on Agil Khalil’s life or attempted to kidnap him at 16.00-17.00 on May 7, 2008. The investigation in connection with the correspondent’s appeal to the Prosecutor General, in which he said he and his family underwent moral and physical pressure, torture and the legislation was violated during the interrogation, was closed too. On April 3-4 his parents and brother said the inspectors carried out the investigation in accordance with the law, they and Agil Khalil did not undergo pressure and the latter was not inflicted bodily harm. Other participants of the criminal process, as well as Agil Khalilov’s representative Elchin Sadigov also said Agil gave free testimonies, was not beaten, he did not undergo pressure, insult or blackmail and these cases were not observed in the video footage of the investigation. Therefore, it was rejected to launch criminal case basing on this appeal of Agil Khalilov.
The materials of the criminal case launched on defendant Strekalin under articles 127.1 and 234.1 (deliberate causing of minor serious harm to health) and (illegal purchase or storage without a purpose of selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption) of the criminal code have been submitted to court.

Preliminary investigation into the part of the criminal case related to defendant Allahverdiyev Natig Isa and others charged with article 320.1 (fake of certificate or other official document) of the Criminal Code continues.

/APA/