Elmar Huseynov - 47 years

Proponents of free speech today honored the memory of the chief editor of the magazine Monitor Elmar Huseynov assassinated on March 2, 2005.

Today he would have turned 47 years old. According to tradition, journalists and human rights activists laid flowers at the grave of the brave journalist. At an impromptu rally they talked about freedom of speech and Elmar’s contribution to the development of free civil journalism.

Elmar’s killers miscalculated, hoping that with his death the freedom of expression in Azerbaijan will cease to exist. Conversely, every birthday of Elmar, on the days of international solidarity of the press and the days of the national press, civil society expresses its consolidation here at his grave, said the columnist for Azadlig, Rovshan Hajibeyli.

The head of the Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety Emin Huseynov said that the founders of the Elmar Huseynov Foundation decided to secure the return of seized documents of the Fund by the tax authorities and resume activities.

Sabir Huseynov, Elmar’s father thanked the audience for their attention to memory of his son and expressed hope that the killer of Elmar will stand trial.

A bright publicist with principled citizenship, Elmar Huseynov was known as a tough and uncompromising critic of the current administration. And executors of his murder are still not found, although the investigation team of the Turkish secret services in hot pursuit established the names of the killers and provided information about the senior management.

Authorities launched their version of the murder, according to which the killers are Georgian citizens of Azerbaijani origin. However, for unclear reasons, nobody delays them. -0 -