'Journalism Is Not A Crime': U.S. Continues To Urge Azerbaijan To Respect Rights, Freedoms
The United States said on Tuesday once again urged the Azerbaijani government to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all, including those exercising freedom of expression, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
"The recent trend of detaining journalists, civil society activists, and opposition figures in Azerbaijan is deeply troubling. Over a dozen such figures have been detained in just the last month," a State Department spokesperson told TURAN when asked about the latest arrests of two more journalists — Elnara Gasimova and Shahin Rzayev, who are 9th and 10th on the list of imprisoned journalists which has been growing since November.
A Baku court on Monday ordered Gasimova, a reporter with the Abzas Media investigative news site, to be held in pre-trial detention until April 3 on charges of smuggling.
Separately, Shahin Rzayev, a political observer with JAM News, an outlet that covers the South Caucasus, was arrested and ordered to be held for 15 days on charges of "petty hooliganism." He was fined and released Tuesday evening by the Baku Court of Appeal.
In response to TURAN's Washington correspondent's inquiry, a State Department spokesperson said today : "As President Biden said on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, “Journalism is not a crime – it is fundamental to a free society.” We continue to urge the Azerbaijani government to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all, including those exercising freedom of expression."
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- Energy
- 17 January 2024 07:38
Politics
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Since November last year, there has been a suppression of the independent press and civil society in Azerbaijan, which is extremely disturbing and sets Azerbaijan back years, US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby said in an interview with a group of journalists on Friday. According to him, the United States is taking all possible measures to improve the situation. "We do this openly in meetings with our colleagues. We are doing something openly, something privately, and we will continue this," the ambassador said.
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Representatives of over 50 international organizations and leading universities in the UK and the world have appealed to the head of the Foreign Policy Department of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, on the case of Azerbaijani economist Gubad Ibadoglu. The message notes that Ibadoglu, who was released under house arrest during his detention, seriously undermined his health and now apparently needs a complex surgical operation, but he is still banned from leaving the country.
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The National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) has scheduled a protest rally in Baku for May 19 demanding the release of political prisoners, electoral reform, improvement of the social situation of the population, and the opening of land borders. Earlier, the opposition had already scheduled rallies with these demands for April 21 and May 5. However, the Baku Executive refused to authorize opposition demonstrations.
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The Biden Administration on Thursday formally accused Russia of using chemical weapons in Ukraine, and pledged further steps to hold Moscow accountable, following a new set of sanctions against the Kremlin, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
2 comment
Ruslan
2024-01-17
В Азербайджане свободная журналистика это преступление или ты должен угодить этому авторитарному режиму или молчать и не критиковать эту власть или критиковать но за этим последуют уже наказание в виде запугиваний избиений тюрьмы пыток так мы и докатимься до Северной Кореии уже мало осталось...
Observer
2024-01-17
"Журналистика не является преступлением - она имеет основополагающее значение для свободного общества" старый сионист который по уши в крови учит людей нравам. тварь!