Baku/19.01.18/Turan: Joint Statement on the Sentencing of Afgan Mukhtarli in Azerbaijan - As delivered by Political Counselor Gregory Macris to the Permanent Council, Vienna, January 18, 2018.
"In light of our shared OSCE commitments and international obligations to respect freedom of expression, Canada and the United States are disturbed by the January 12 sentencing of Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Mukhtarli to a six-year prison term.
Mr. Mukhtarli was reportedly abducted in Georgia on May 29 and subsequently arrested in Azerbaijan on smuggling and related charges, widely considered to be politically motivated.
Canada and the United States urge the government of Azerbaijan to release Mr. Mukhtarli and all those incarcerated for exercising their fundamental freedoms. We continue to follow closely the Georgian investigation into the reported abduction, and request an update from our Georgian colleagues", - reads the statement. -02D-
Politics
-
The trial of Aziz Orudjev, the head of the online publication Kanal-13, continued on February 5 at the Sabail District Court.
-
On 4 February, the Baku Court of Appeal released former Russian judge Yelena Khakhaleva, who was arrested in Azerbaijan at the request of the Russian Prosecutor's Office.
-
Afgan Sadygov, the head of the Azerbaijani website Azel.TV, who has been on a dry hunger strike since February 2 in the Tbilisi detention center, lost consciousness on Tuesday evening, his wife Sevinc Sadygova told Turan.
-
On February 5, a preparatory hearing was held in the Baku Court for Serious Crimes, chaired by Vugar Ibrahimov, in the case of former diplomat Emin Ibrahimov. The main hearings are scheduled for February 12.
Leave a review