A Baptist Pastor has been sentenced to two years in prison, 8 August, by a court in the north-western regional centre of Zakatala in Azerbaijan.
Simply announcing the verdict, Judge Seifali Seifullaev gave no explanation for his decision, the head of Azerbaijan's Baptist Union reported shortly afterwards.
"It's very sad news," Ilya Zenchenko remarked to Forum 18 News Service from the Zakatala-Baku road. "We're preparing to submit an appeal on Friday (10 August)."
The 44-year-old, Pastor Zaur Balaev, was convicted under Article 315, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which punishes the application or threat of application of violence, including to a state representative when he or she is carrying out official duties. It carries a maximum three-year prison term.
His trial began on 16 July and the latest indictment also complained that Balaev "conducts illegal meetings under the guise of religious activity without concrete authority and without state registration", attracts young people to services and plays loud music at services.
At Judge Seifali Seifullaev's number on 9 August, a court representative confirmed that Zaur Balaev was sentenced to two years' imprisonment under Article 315, Part 1.
When Forum 18 raised doubts about the trial - in particular how Balaev could have attacked five policemen - he remarked that he had "nothing to do with it", and that only Judge Seifullaev was familiar with the case.
Asked when Judge Seifullaev would be available for comment, the court representative told Forum 18 that the Balaev case had been his last in Zakatala, and that he had been transferred to a new - but not senior - position. The court representative insisted that he did not know where this was.
Present at packed Zakatala court hearings on 25 and 27 July, Ilya Zenchenko told Forum 18 that five police officers claimed Balaev had beaten them when they visited his home in the village of Aliabad during 20 May Sunday worship.
Village Policeman Khalid Memedov explained that he called in "because what was happening in the house was a violation of public order and an illegal act and I went to have a chat as a preventative measure."
Queried about the presence of four other officers, Memedov reportedly responded: "It just turned out that way."
According to Zenchenko, four local witnesses unexpectedly maintained that they did not actually see the alleged beating, but only heard about it from people at the market, teahouse or Memedov, who pressured them into testifying. The Baptist Union leader also told Forum 18 that the court ignored the absence of evidence proving that the policemen's bruises and scratches were caused by Balaev rather than sport or gardening.
According to Aliabad church members, police demanded that worship be stopped, the congregation disperse and Balaev accompany them to the police station on 20 May, which he did peacefully. They and other villagers categorically deny the police accusations that the pastor attacked them.
Pastor Balaev was initially accused by police of setting a dog onto them during the raid. The congregation vehemently denies this accusation. When more than 50 people, including villagers who are not Christian, signed a statement testifying to the Pastor's innocence "the dog completely disappeared from the accusation," Zenchenko of the Baptist Union told Forum 18 on 12 July.
