Expert: Police Violate Law in Aytach Ahmedova Case

Baku / 05.10.18 / Turan: Every journalist has the right to cover events of public interest, investigate details, request information from responsible persons and carry out other professional activities. This opinion was expressed to Turan IA by media expert Khalid Agaliyev, commenting on the detention and police violence against the journalist Aytach Ahmedova.

Recall that Ahmedova was detained on October 3 during her reportage from the protest of residents of the village Zabrat. In the police, an officer dressed in plain clothes hit and insulted her.

Later, the Ministry of Internal Affairs refuted the fact of violence, claiming that the journalist was detained for clarification due to the lack of an identification card at her.

The society has the right to receive important information in a timely manner, and journalists perform precisely this function. As for the reaction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, this agency could provide more comprehensive explanations and back up its position with recordings from video surveillance cameras. As for Ahmedova"s lack of a journalistic document, every citizen, and not just media representatives, has the right to receive information, the expert noted.

Creating obstacles in the work of a journalist entails responsibility under Article 163 of the Criminal Code. If the collection of information is limited by violence, then Article 293 of the Criminal Code should be applied to the perpetrator, the lawyer said. -06B-