Court prolongs terms of pre-trial detention of two journalists

On 19 March, Sabail district court of Baku prolonged terms of pre-trial detention of the head of "Internet TV Kanal 13" Aziz Orujov and employee of this media structure Shamo Eminov for another two months. Aziz Orujev's wife Lamiya Orujeva informed Turan about it.

According to her, appeals will be filed against the court decisions.

"I am now highly concerned about Aziz's health. There are no investigative actions; however, the term of arrest is prolonged for the third time," the wife said.

In turn, Shamo Eminov's lawyer Alibaba Rzayev also stressed the unreasonableness of the extension of his client's arrest.

"The accusation is lacking any legal grounds," the lawyer told Turan.

Note that Aziz Orujev was detained on 27 November 2023 and accused of illegal construction and the court arrested him for three months.

On 19 December, he was charged again - under Article 206.3.2 (smuggling by prior conspiracy by a group of persons) of the Criminal Code. Orujev faces up to eight years of imprisonment.

It must be recalled that Aziz Orujev had already been sentenced in 2017 to 6 years of imprisonment on charges of illegal entrepreneurship. In 2018, the Supreme Court reviewed the punishment and cancelled the conviction.

** Shamo Eminov, a freelance journalist collaborating with "Internet TV Kanal 13", was detained on 22 December and arrested for three months on charges of "smuggling of foreign currency by prior conspiracy by a group of persons" (Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan).