A group of media representatives called on the Interior Minister to hand over Alesker Mammadli on bail

A group of journalists and media experts from Azerbaijan appealed to Interior Minister Vilayat Eyvazov with a request to release from custody Alesker Mammadli, the o-founder of the “Toplum TV”, who was arrested as part of the investigation into the case of “Toplum TV.”  "For many years we have known Alesker Mammadli as a competent media expert, an experienced lawyer far from radicalism, and a supporter of legality," the appeal says. The authors of the appeal emphasize that they do not want to interfere with the powers of state bodies to investigate suspicions about the activities of individuals.

"The main reason for our concern is the detection of tumors in the internal organs of Alesker Mammadli during a recent medical examination. Doctors consider them malignant and note the need for in-depth examination and intensive treatment," the appeal says.

The authors ask the Minister to provide an opportunity for Mammadli to be free for the period of investigative actions. "There is a high probability that his life depends on this opportunity. We are ready to take on the necessary obligations to change the preventive measure against our colleague. We have addressed you with similar appeals before. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for solving the problem right away.

We hope that in this case, the principles of both legality and humanism will be considered," the appeal says. The petition was signed by the head of the New Generation journalism association Arif Aliyev, media expert, BSU professor Gulu Maharramli, head of the Union of Journalists of Azerbaijan and the online publication “Aina-Zerkalo” Elchin Shikhli and director of the Turan agency Mehman Aliyev.