MIRZA SAKIT RELEASED FROM PRISON - Photos

9 april morning satirist of Azadlig daily Mirza Sakit (Sakit Zahidov) has been released from prison.
He has been freed on the basis of the act of amnesty adopted by parliament on March 17. Sakit was expected to be released on the eve of Novruz holiday on March 18-19.
But the colony’s administration said that they observe priority of the amnesty and Sakit has refused of the amnesty in a token of protest. On March 30 his lawyer Isahan Ashurov visited Sakit. He said Sakit is going to file a suit against the chief of the colony for failure to execute the act of amnesty.
Mirza Sakit was arrested on June 23, 2006 on charge of drug sale. Sakit and his colleagues said that he was arrested for criticism of authorities in his satirical poems.
The Public Committee to protect Mirza Sakit’s rights was set up by Emin Huseynov, the Director of the Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety.
The Committee has conducted a parallel investigation and established that 10 grams of heroin was planted to Sakit’s pocket by a policeman.
On October 4, 2006 the grave crimes court sentenced Mirza Sakit to 3 years of imprisonment.
Judge Azer Orujev said Zahidov is found guilty under article 234.1 of Criminal Code (illegal storage of amount of drugs, which exceeds norms of personal consumption).
Zahidov’s lawyer Vugar Hasayev said the court decision is “unfair.” There were no proofs, but judge has just confirmed the charge brought by the Public Prosecutor. The court did not take into account the fact that Zahidov has five children and first time appeared before court.
The international journalism organizations were indignant at the verdict. Later on many other international organizations have also condemned Mirza Sakit’s arrest and demanded his release. Miklosh Harashti, the OSCE representative for press freedom, the CE and EU officials have repeatedly urged the Azerbaijani authorities to free the satirist.
From the very beginning the representatives of democratic publicity said that Mirza Sakit’s arrest is connected with his poems criticizing authorities.
The Azadlig daily has been made clear that if its does not stop criticism, it will have new problems.
And this happened. Mirza Sakit’s brother, Azadlig daily’s editor-in-chief Ganimat Zahidov, was arrested in November 2007. He was sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment on charge of hooliganism and causing damage to health.
But Zahidov’s colleagues and human rights defenders think it was provocation and he was sentenced on a frame-up charge.