Azerbaijan: Charges against Journalist, News Agency Silence Independent Media
Washington/26.0817/Turan: In response to a court in Baku sentencing one of Azerbaijan"s most prominent independent journalists, Mehman Aliyev, to three months pre-trial detention before being tried for alleged "abuse of power" and on other charges, Freedom House issued the following statement:
"The charges against Mehman Aliyev and now his pre-trial detention are part of Azerbaijan"s effort to silence independent journalism and all critical voices," said Marc Behrendt, director of Eurasia programs at Freedom House. "Mehman Aliyev directs the Turan news agency, the country"s last remaining independent news agency, which has announced it has no choice but to close as of September 1. The government targeted the news agency by filling unfounded charges of financial irregularities, which has led to a freeze on the agency"s bank accounts. The government"s actions against Turan and its leading journalist are grave attacks against press freedom."
Azerbaijan is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2017, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2017, Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2016, and receives a democracy score of 6.93 on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 as the worst possible score, in Nations in Transit 2017.
Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates for democracy and human rights. -02D-
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- Politics
- 26 August 2017 12:03
Politics
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For the second consecutive day, the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan reports on the exposure of agricultural product exporters accused of failing to return funds to the country.
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A bilateral meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia began at noon as part of the BRICS summit in Kazan. The meeting involves Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan, as well as the foreign ministers, deputy prime ministers, and foreign policy advisors of both countries. Before the meeting, Pashinyan made several key statements at the summit. He announced that Yerevan and Baku had agreed on all fundamental issues necessary to establish a foundation for peace.
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A bilateral meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia began at noon as part of the BRICS summit in Kazan. The meeting involves Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan, as well as the foreign ministers, deputy prime ministers, and foreign policy advisors of both countries. Before the meeting, Pashinyan made several key statements at the summit. He announced that Yerevan and Baku had agreed on all fundamental issues necessary to establish a foundation for peace.
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* Parliament condemns repression of activists, journalists and opposition leaders, at home and abroad
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