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Gyunel Hasanli, the daughter of the leader of the National Council of Democratic Forces of Azerbaijan, ex-opposition candidate for presidency Jamil Hasanli, was sentenced to 1.5 years imprisonment in colony-settlement by the Yasamali district court in Baku. Neither Hasanli’s two young children, nor the absence of the appeal by the 86-year-old woman, who was acknowledged to be the victim, and nor the lack of criminal record of the defendant before, were taken into consideration by the court, Ogtay Gulnaliyev, а National Council of Democratic Forces member said, as Azerbaijani information agency “Turan” reports.

According to the article, he said that Gyunel Hasanli was found guilty for committing an accident in Baku on 19 September, 2014. Jamil Hasanli had previously stated that it was not an accident indeed, as the old woman had fell down in front of the car herself. Yet, she wished that Gyunel take her to the hospital, and an Azerbaijani policeman went to hospital with them. As long as the woman didn’t have injuries, the registration of the incident wasn’t found necessary on that day.

As the agency stresses, that matter gained actuality after PFAP (People's Front of Azerbaijan Party) took a decision on 29 September to hold an opposition demonstration, and the National Council of Democratic Forces supported the action. On this very day, 29 September, the opposition leader’s daughter was summoned to the police station, and the accident was registered. After inspecting the car, they wanted to release Gyunel, yet they seized it, being instructed by a phone call from above.

Jilal Hasanli sees a connection between bringing the criminal case and the court’s verdict, and his political activities. He also highlighted the biased character of the investigation and bringing in the examination conclusions “regarding the aggravating circumstances”. Really, no one had suffered grave injuries. The verdict hasn’t come into force yet and will be appealed in the Court of Appeal of Azerbaijan, “Turan” reports.