Lawyer: Huseyn Hasanov wants to return to Russia

Azerbaijani blogger Huseyn Hasanov, sentenced in absentia in Moscow to four years in a penal colony for money laundering, would like to return to Russia, his lawyer Dmitry Kozyaykin said.

"Well, of course, he wants to (return to Russia), it is his homeland after all, he was born here, he lived here all his life, and for literally the last year and a half he has not been living here. Naturally, he would like to live here and conduct his activities here," RIA Novosti quoted Kozyaykin as saying.

The lawyer added that "certain events" are preventing the blogger's return.

The lawyer said that the defense would appeal the blogger's sentence. "The person is being punished twice, since he paid the tax authorities 300 million rubles," the lawyer specified.

According to Dmitry Kozyaykin, they would be satisfied with an acquittal or the return of the case to the prosecutor for an additional investigation.

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Huseyn Hasanov sentenced in absentia to four years in a penal colony