Civil society appeales to Ilham Aliyev

The Committee to Protect Civil Society (CPCS) adopted an appeal to the President Ilham Aliyev in connection with the murder of  the journalist Rasim Aliyev. The reason for the attack on the journalist and his death  is an atmosphere of impunity for crimes against the independent press, the statement says.

"The Azerbaijani authorities claim that the media, journalists work in a safe environment. However, the death of Rasim Aliyev after beating testifies that statements by the authorities are no more than words," said the director of Turan news agency Mehman Aliyev.

He noted that the authorities did not respond to the attack on the journalist Tapdig Farhadoglu and other members of the press two days earlier in front of the Serious Crimes Court.

Only two or three per cent of crimes in Azerbaijan are disclosed, and mainly  by the journalists themselves.

The participants condemned the  absense of the representatives of the presidential administration, the Press Council at the funeral of journalist, although today the head of state condemned the murder of  the reporter.

As for the motives for the murder, there were sounded political version, clashes between  the power members and ordinary crime.

"In any case, it is a crime of the regime. We must fight so that the perpetrators    and those  who ordered the murder of Elmar Huseynov, Rafiq Tagi, Rasim Aliyevbe punished," said publicist Khalig Bahadir.

"We must obtain that Rasim Aliyev’s murder did not remain closed as the murder of  Elmar Huseynov," said co-chair of the HCA Arzu Abdullayeva.

 **  The CPCS was established in 2009.Then it  included about 100 independent NGOs. Currently, about 20 activists are actively involved in the CPCS. -05C06-