Employees of Radio Azadlig Still Interrogated (UPDATED)

On December 29 the interrogation of the Radio Azadlig staff continued at the Investigation Department for Grave Crimes of the General Prosecutor's Office, the spokesman for the radio, Namizad Safarov said.

According to him, the interrogations take place peacefully. "However, there is still no clear purpose of the interrogation. The purpose of the search in the editorial office and sealing it, as well as bringing the reporters and freelancers to questioning, is not clear either,” Safarov said.

Recall that approximately 25 employees of Radio Azadlig have been interrogated. Yet they are being questioned as witnesses. -03B04-

2014 December 29 (Monday) 00:24:04

On Sunday, the Investigation Department for Serious Crimes questioned about 20 employees of the Baku Office of the Azerbaijani service of Radio Liberty. All of them were released after they had been caused to sign not divulging the investigation secrets.

"In general, reporters were asked questions related to their professional activities,"  the statement said.

At the same time the lawyer Yalchin Imanov was suspended from defending the rights of the employees of Radio Liberty. By the decision of the First Deputy General Prosecutor Rustam Usubov, Imanov is held as a witness and therefore he has been excluded from the defense.

"The decision of the First Deputy General Prosecutor Rustam Usubov to dismiss me from the protection of employees of Radio Liberty is illegal. I regard this as an attempt to leave the Baku Office without defense," Imanov told Turan.

 The lawyer said the search operations around Radio Liberty have no legal connection with the criminal case against NGOs. "Actions against Radio Liberty pursue the goal of pressure on the radio station for its independent, balanced and impartial coverage of events. The very process of searching, sealing the office, not allowing the staff to work, removal of the lawyer, and questioning the employees without defenders is a pressure campaign on Radio Liberty," said Imanov. -0-

2014 December 28 (Sunday) 15:56:30

The police are conducting mass arrests of employees of the Baku Office of Radio Liberty.