Jailed Azerbaijani Journalist Attempts To Prove Innocence

Journalist Eynulla Fatullayev in court in Baku in October 2007.

An appeals court in Baku has dismissed a lawsuit filed by imprisoned journalist Eynulla Fatullayev against Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.

Fatullayev was sentenced to 8 1/2 years in jail in September 2006 for giving false information in his newspaper "Realniy Azerbaijan."

Mammadyarov filed charges against Fatullayev, claiming that his article -- an analysis about the consequences that a U.S.-Iranian war would have for Azerbaijan -- caused panic in foreign embassies and international companies in Azerbaijan.

In his lawsuit against Mammadyarov, Fatullayev demanded a list of the foreign embassies that allegedly panicked because of the article.

Fatullayev's lawyer, Isakhan Ashurov, told RFE/RL that the Foreign Affairs Ministry refused to provide the list of embassies.

Ashurov says his client will appeal his case to the Supreme Court.