Baku/20.09.13/Turan : Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety issued a statement of protest against the arrest of the journalist and the head of the NGO Parviz Gashimli .
Authors of the statement condemn violations of the journalist's rights and the provision of psychological pressure on him . So after the trial a black bag was put on Gashimli's head.
IRFS connects arrest of Gashimli with the election campaign. The arrest of the journalist and the search conducted in the offices of the newspaper Bizim Yol and the website moderator.az are pressure on all the media and civil society before the election.
IRFS also believes that the prosecution of Gashimli can be connected with the spread of online moderator.az messages "on relations within the government, the disclosure of which was not desirable for the ruling circles."
"Within 20 hours prior to the trial the reporter was isolated and did not have an opportunity to meet with his lawyer. This is a violation of the right to an effective remedy as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. Moreover, Gashimli's rights to freedom of expression enshrined by the same convention and the Constitution of Azerbaijan were violated," said the director of IRFS Emin Huseynov.
In addition, during the search of the journalist's home, his personal presence and involvement of a lawyer was not provided.
The statement also points to the rough treatment and physical pressure by MNS and the police against the director of IRFS Huseynov and the reporter of the Azerbaijani Service of Radio Liberty Ismail Sheehan, who, performing professional duties, collected information close to Gashimli's home, when there was a search.
IRFS is also concerned about the increasing number of journalists arrested, for now there are nine.
A new wave of arrests is regarded as an attempt to silence the independent press before the elections on October 9.
The authors of the statement remind about the arrest of the NIDA activists, who allegedly kept bottles with a "Molotov cocktail," drugs and money. Such accusations are used against journalists and the opposition.
IRFS calls on Baku to put an end to the attacks and pressure on freedom of speech and expression and to release journalists, bloggers and youth activists from detention.
IRFS appeals to the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE to urge Azerbaijan to fulfill its obligations, otherwise they will apply the appropriate action. -05D04-
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