April 21, court of appeal held a preliminary hearing on Khadija Ismayilova’s complaint against the Binagadi court decision to fine her.
According to Turan News Agency, Khadija Ismayilova was placed into a sound proof box resembling a fish tank after the audience inside the court room greeted her with standing ovation.
A chain of guards stood in front of the tank, blocking the audience inside the court room from seeing the journalist.
When lawyers Fariz Namazli and Yalchin Imanov requested the presiding judge Gail Mammadov to remove Ismayilova from the tank and seat her next to them in order to communicate with their defendant, the judge responded that he must consult with the guards first.
The judge declined the lawyer’s request after consulting with the guards, to which both lawyers responded by entering the tank and sitting next to Ismayilova. This angered the guards who tried to kick them out of the tank.
The hearing was then rescheduled to April 28.
Ismayilova was found guilty of the slander charge on February 23, and was fined in the amount of 2500manat. The decision was taken to the court of appeal by Ismayilova’s lawyer Yalchin Imanov.
On February 13 she received additional charges - appropriation, tax evasion, abuse of authority, and illegal business.