Against the Meydan TV Internet resource a criminal investigation has been launched and about 15 journalists are involved. The lawyer Elchin Sadigov told Turan.
The lawyer noted that on April 18 the Narimanov district court refused to consider the complaint of his client journalist Shirin Abbasov, collaborated with the Meydan TV, who in September last year was arrested for 30 days and was held in the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GUBOP) MIA.
The complaint raised the question of recognition of illegal detention of Abbasov in GUBOP, the application of torture against him, inhuman treatment, a search of his apartment, as well as the ban on leaving the country.
The Narimanov District Court Judge Turgay Bayramov has decided to send a complaint to the Nasimi District Court, arguing that with regard to "officials» of Meydan TV the Investigation Department for Serious Crimes of the Prosecutor General's Office is investigating the criminal case N 152006048 under: 192.2.2 (illegal business to obtain a large income), 213.2.2 (tax evasion on a large scale) and 308.2 (abuse of power) of the Criminal Code.
"The judge based his decision on the fact that the Investigation Department for Serious Crimes Prosecutor General's Office is located in the Nasimi district, therefore, the complaint must be considered by the Nasimi district court," Sadigov said.
Sadigov noted that the criminal case was started in 2015 (likely in September), when Abbasov was arrested.
Then, according to the lawyer, GUBOP pressured Abbasov to knock out evidence against the leadership and colleagues on Meydan TV.
According to Sadigov, defendants in the case are about 15 journalists. But specific criminal charges still have not been nominated. However, the journalists are banned from leaving the country and searches are carried out and their equipment is seized.
The lawyer considers illegal referring to journalists as “officials” in the case, since the concept of "official" on these crimes means administrative duties regarding the use of public property.
These journalists are also subjected to tax audit and regularly called in for questioning. The lawyer does not exclude the arrest of Meydan TV journalists.
At the same time, the lawyer said the criminal case is far-fetched, recalling that for similar items a criminal case was also conducted against dozens of NGOs and their leaders were convicted.
As for the reasons for the institution of proceedings, it was Meydan TV investigation into the protests of the population in the city of Mingachevir after a detainee threw himself from the window of the police building. The videos shown from the protest of citizens seriously concerned the authorities.
During interrogation of the journalists they tried to find out who gave them this record, who instructed them to show it, etc.
Meydan TV was created in 2013 and the head office is based in Germany. The former prisoner of conscience and blogger Emin Milli leads the project.
Today he made a statement and recalled that since September 2015 journalists collaborating with Meydan TV have been summoned for questioning, but on what criminal case they are called is not reported. Only now it is clear that against Meydan TV a criminal case has been launched.
Milli said that the website was not engaged in any illegal activity. Its financial reports were submitted to the bodies of Azerbaijan. In Azerbaijan Meydan TV has no business activity. Cooperation with journalists is only on a voluntary basis. For this reason, Milli finds absurd conduct of the investigation under articles of the illegal business, tax evasion on a large scale, and others.
The sole purpose of Meydan TV is the implementation of an independent professional media activity in the framework of international conventions.
"Our only "crime" is the use of our right to freedom of speech," Milli said.
In his view, the criminal case pursues the goal to intimidate journalists collaborating Meydan TV.
"In Azerbaijan, there is no person authorized to speak on behalf of Meydan TV, and no journalist is responsible for our actions," said Milli.
Through this criminal case the authorities create obstacles to journalist activity and suppress the democratic atmosphere, he writes. -06D-
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