Açiq mənbələrdən foto.
New York / 17.11.20 / Turan: The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the conviction of journalist Polad Aslanov in Azerbaijan.
"The Serious Crimes Court in the capital of Azerbaijan sentenced Polad Aslanov, editor of the news sites Xeberman and Press-az, to 16 years in prison on charges of treason,” reads the CPJ statement.
The journalist's wife, Gulmira Aslanova, told CPJ that the verdict would be appealed.
“The Azerbaijani authorities should immediately release Polad Aslanov and not challenge his appeal,” said Gulnoza Sayid, CPJ's Europe and Central Asia coordinator.
"By imprisoning a critical journalist on trumped-up charges, Azerbaijan only strengthens its reputation as one of Eurasia's leading jailers over journalists."
Aslanov was charged with high treason for allegedly transferring state secrets to Iran.
His wife told CPJ that in a closed-door trial, Aslanov denied the charges, saying his sentence was revenge for his reporting on government corruption.
The Azerbaijani authorities reject allegations of persecution of Aslanov for his professional activities and link the criminal cases to the specific crimes committed by the accused. — 06D-
Politics
-
On Saturday, December 7th, a session of the "Musavat" Party's Majlis took place. During the session, the party leader, Isa Gambar, presented a report on the current socio-political situation in the country. The Majlis also approved a decision by the party’s board to grant district organizations of "Musavat" the authority to nominate candidates for the municipal elections scheduled for January 29, 2025. The party outlined its main areas of activity for 2025. A statement was issued on the human rights situation in the country.
-
The human rights organization Freedom Now has joined calls to end the pressure on independent media in Azerbaijan.
-
The press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the arrests of Meydan TV employees. A statement of the organization on RSF’s X (formerly Twitter) account said: "Reporters Without Borders condemns these new arrests and calls for their immediate release, as well as the release of 13 other journalists held in disgraceful conditions on trumped-up charges."
-
"I was deeply concerned to learn of the arrest of journalists working with Meydan TV. A free and independent press is a vital component of any democracy. Journalists must be able to report on issues without the fear of arrest, intimidation, or violence." This statement was posted by the UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Fergus Auld, on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday.
Leave a review