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."
