Azerbaijan: Switzerland is protecting journalist in embassy

Diplomatic row involving important trades partner in the Caucasus Since six months, the Swiss Embassy in Baku hides the Azerbaijanian journalist and human rights activist Emin Huseynov, as the current affairs programme „Rundschau“ of Swiss National TV SRF reveals. 35-years-old Huseynov fears for his life, as he’s been repeatedly criticising the regime of Azerbajian’s autocratic president Aljiev. The diplomatic tension between Switzerland and Azerbajian is rising. August 2014: it had been a matter of minutes when Emin Huseynov presented himself as a Swiss citizen at the Embassy in Baku and managed to escape narrowly from the Azerbajianian police, says Florian Irminger of Human Rights House Foundation in Geneva, who is recounting the dramatic moments of the chase. He confirms the information „Rundschau“ got hold on: Emin Huseynov is hiding in the Swiss Embassy ever since. Switzerland has guaranteed him protection „for humanitarian reasons“, said the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in a written statement delivered to Rundschau SRF. „We are ever since discussing the matter with Azeri government and officials, in order to find a solution“. A top secret dossier on the diplomatic crisis between the two countries is on the Swiss Minister Didier Burkhalter‘s desk. The Minister has met personally Emin Huseynov twice, as researches from the „Rundschau“ show. The first time when Mr. Burkhalter was on a State visit in Baku – and again in June 2014 in the Swiss capital Berne, where Huseynov attended the OSCE Conference on human rights. Emin Huseynov got into the fangs of the regime already between 2008 and 2009. Human rights advocate Irminger mentions torture in his interview to the „Rundschau“: „The police have beaten him up repeatedly, for days“. Huseynov is the founder of the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, a NGO fighting for press freedom and journalists‘ safety. „We have no positive perspective for the future. Repression against the freedom of opinion is continuing, including the online media.“ Shortly after this interview‘ statement , Huseynov went into hiding and fled to the Swiss Embassy. The regime of Azeri president Aljiev has shown a indignant reaction to the diplomatic refugee crisis. Relatives of Huseynov fear that the Azeri authorities could assault the compound of the Swiss diplomatic mission in Baku. The diplomatic refugee comes at a highly unpleasant moment for the Swiss Government: Switzerland is cultivating tight economic links with Azerbajian. The Swiss energy company Axpo is actively part of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline which will be delivering gas from the Caspic Sea to Europe. The Azeri state-run oil corporation SOCAR has taken over „Esso“ petrol stations in Switzerland. Ever since, a little flame in Azerbajianian colours is flickering along the Swiss roads. Trips of Swiss ministers have been a regular feature in the past to make sure the autocrat stays well-disposed towards making business with Swiss companies. Rundschau SRF: brodcast on Wednesday, February 11th at 9 pm on SRF 1 (shortly after, the story will be available on: www.srf.ch/rundschau)