State Department Bureau called for the release of P. Aslanov

Baku / 15.11.20 / Turan: The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the US  Department of State called for the release of journalists arrested in Azerbaijan, including the editor of the website xeberman.com Polad Aslanov. The Bureau said in a statement that Aslanov was arrested in June 2019 after publishing exposing articles about the illegal business of security officials related to facilitating a religious pilgrimage to Iran. He was forced to perjure himself. After a closed trial, the prosecutor proposed to sentence him to 17 years in prison, the State Department Bureau said.

On November 15, the final speech of the accused of high treason Aslanov is expected in court. Perhaps the verdict will be pronounced on the same day. At present, in addition to Aslanov, the founder and editor of Azel.tv Afgan Sadigov, editor of the religious website www.xeber44.com Araz Guliyev, head of the website www.kent.info Elchin Ismayilli, head of the website realliq.info Ikram Rahimov, head of the website yukselis.info Elchin Mammad and nia.az editor Bahruz Aliyev are also in jail. The Azerbaijani authorities deny that journalists are being harassed because of their professional activities and say they have been held accountable for specific criminal acts. –06D-