Baku / 17.10.17 / Turan: The Institute for Reporters" Freedom and Safety (IRFS) expressed deep concern over the detention of the Azerbaijani opposition journalist Fikret Huseynli in Kiev and urged the Ukrainian authorities to immediately release him.
IRFS considers politically motivated the detention of Huseynli on October 14 by officers of the Ukrainian Border Guard Service on the basis of Interpol's request issued by the Azerbaijani authorities.
"The arrest by the authorities of Ukraine of an Azerbaijani opposition journalist at the request of the Azerbaijani authorities is a serious blow to the common European values for the protection of freedom of expression, which Ukraine committed itself to within the framework of membership in the Council of Europe and the OSCE," IRFS Executive Director Emin Huseynov said.
Ukraine should stop the practice of arresting journalists living in exile and immediately release Fikret Huseynli and the Uzbek journalist Narzullo Ohundzhenov, also detained in Ukraine.
IRFS calls on the authorities of the Netherlands, whose citizen Fikrat Huseynli is from 2015, to provide all possible assistance in his early release, as well as raise the issue in the European Council.
The statement calls on the European Parliament to reconsider the situation with freedom of expression in Azerbaijan, as it was earlier after the abduction in Georgia and the illegal extradition of the investigative journalist Afgan Mukhtarly to Azerbaijan.
IRFS urged the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the European Union not to grant authoritarian regimes the possibility of abusing international legal mechanisms for arrests of dissidents who are forced to live in political exile.
In the light of the increasing abuse of the persecution of critics by means of the Interpol mechanisms, IRFS called on the international community to urgently reform Interpol in order to exclude the use of this international organization as a transnational instrument of political struggle.
IRFS urged the Azerbaijani authorities to stop the harassment of journalists and release imprisoned journalists, bloggers, writers, and civil activists from prisons. -0-
Social
-
The closure of Azerbaijan's land borders was discussed during the parliamentary session on November 25. While the government’s decision cites the coronavirus pandemic as the main reason—despite the World Health Organization declaring its end last year—Zahid Oruj, Chair of the Human Rights Committee in the Milli Majlis, pointed to other factors. He stated, "Opening the borders could result in an influx of hundreds of thousands of non-Azerbaijani refugees due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Additionally, in Iran, many are prepared to cross into Azerbaijan to safeguard their lives and assets amid military strikes. Such waves of refugees could lead to humanitarian, social, and cultural clashes that may threaten political stability."
-
On Tuesday, the General Prosecutor's Office announced the initiation of new criminal cases against agricultural product exporters who allegedly concealed their earnings abroad. Specifically, the Sumgayit City Prosecutor's Office has opened a criminal case under Articles 208.2.1 and 208.2.2 (failure to return foreign currency to the country in large amounts by prior agreement of a group of individuals) and Article 308.2 (abuse of office causing serious consequences) against officials of the company "SOİL BOONS" LLC – Jahangir Aliyev, Elyar Gadzhiev, Mehman Mirzamedev, Saleh Gabilov, and Aly Aliyev.
-
Rains will continue in Baku and Absheron on 27 November, forecasters said. In places, precipitation will be intense with thunderstorms. Moderate north-west wind.
-
On Tuesday, rainy weather with thunderstorms and moderate northwest wind is expected in the Baku, according to meteorologists. The rainy weather will continue untill Wednesday evening. The air temperature at night will be +7 to +10°C, and during the day, +11 to +13°C. The humidity will be 80-90% at night and 70-80% during the day. Rain with thunderstorms will also affect other parts of the country. Snow is expected in mountainous areas. There will be fog in places, with westerly winds.
Leave a review