Washington / 08.28.19 / Turan: The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists demanded that the Azerbaijani authorities stop the persecution of journalist Ikram Rahimov and immediately release him from prison.
"Ikram Rahimov should never have been imprisoned, and Azerbaijani authorities should use his appeal hearing as an opportunity to right this wrong," said Gulnoza Said, CPJ's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, in New York. "Authorities should immediately release him and allow Rahimov to recover his health. The practice of imprisoning independent reporters who expose corruption must stop."
For the 20th day, Rahimov has been on a hunger strike in the Baku pre-trial detention center in protest against the unjustified arrest. The prison service confirms the fact of the hunger strike, but denies that he has any health problems.
** Rahimov was detained on October 26, 2018, charged with extortion by threats and arrested. On June 12, the court sentenced him to 5.5 years in prison. On August 7, a preliminary hearing was held in the Baku Court of Appeal in the case of Rahimov. The defense requested a second judicial investigation, new interrogations of witnesses and victims due to falsification of their testimonies in the trial court.
The lawyer also asked to appoint a re-examination of the audio recording of Rahimov's telephone conversations for the same reason. However, the applications were not granted. Rahimov went on a hunger strike in protest.
On August 21, he challenged the composition of the court and the hearings were adjourned to August 28. -16B-
Politics
-
On 23 November at the COP29 climate conference in Baku, eco-activists from different countries held a protest action against the failure of countries to agree on climate finance.
-
On the eve of the closing of the COP29 climate conference in Baku, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has drawn attention to the criminal cases of journalists detained in Azerbaijan.
-
Negotiations at the 29th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Baku have been extended until November 24, a source in the UNFCCC Secretariat told the Turan news agency. According to the source, participants aim to finalize and sign the concluding documents by that date.
-
According to the Turkish newspaper Sabah, officials from the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office's Anti-Smuggling Unit have detained an Azerbaijani citizen with a large shipment of gold. The detention took place near the Vadi İstanbul shopping center in the Sarıyer district, where a taxi was stopped. During the search, 70 kg of gold was found. The Azerbaijani citizen in the vehicle claimed ownership of the cargo and also stated that he was a diplomat. The investigation by the prosecutor's office is ongoing, reports Sabah newspaper. The media outlet does not disclose the name of the "diplomat," only his initials – M.G.Ş. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declined to comment on the situation.
Leave a review