Editor of Basta.info site is accused

Baku / 30.11.18 / Turan: Mustafa Hajibeyli, editor-in-chief of the bastainfo.com website, was summoned to the Baku prosecutor"s office as a witness in connection with a lawsuit. However, today he was transferred to the status of the accused. He is charged under the following Articles of the Criminal Code: 281.2 (appeals against the state), 309.2 (abuse of office) and 313 (official forgery).

"According to the accusation, I allegedly made anti-state appeals, deliberately misleading the public and spreading false information," said Hajibeyli in an interview with Turan.

In relation to the editor, a preventive measure was chosen in police supervision. Twice a week he must go to the territorial police at the place of residence. Hajibeyli denied all the charges, noting that the case would be sent to court soon.

Today, similar charges were brought against Anar Mamedov, the editor of the Criminalaz.com website, who also will be under the police supervision.

Mustafa Hajibeyli is one of the prominent opposition journalists in Azerbaijan. More than 20 years he has worked in various media of Azerbaijan. He is also the brother of the head of the Musavat party, Arif Hajili.

On July 9, the Prosecutor General"s Office filed a lawsuit on the dissemination of "false information" and "illegal appeals" to the Internet in connection with the assassination attempt on the head of Ganja, Elmar Veliyev, and the energy blackout in Mingachevir, when almost all of Azerbaijan remained without power supply.

After that, the prosecutor's office appealed to the Ministry of Communications to block the sites "Bastainfo.com", "criminalaz.com", "topxeber.az" and "fia.az". -05B06-