Journalist Appeals to Court against Ban on His Leaving Azerbaijan

Baku / 07.09.18 / Turan: The journalist Shahvalad Chobanoglu appealed to the court in connection with the ban on his departure from the country, his lawyers told Turan.

According to them, over the past 2-3 years Shahvalad Chobanoglu was interrogated several times in the prosecutor's office as a witness in connection with the newspaper Azadlig and the convicted journalist Afgan Mukhtarly. On August 14, the journalist was detained at the Shirvanovka crossing point of the Khachmaz district during the transfer to the territory of Russia. The border guards held him for about an hour, and then sent back. The journalist was informed that a ban has been imposed on his departure from the country since 2014.

Shahvalad Chobanoglu"s lawyer believes that the ban is illegal. The complaint to the court noted that the rules for leaving the country were regulated by the law "On exit from and entry into the country, and on the passport". This law lists the grounds for the ban on leaving the country.

"Shahvalad Chobanoglu was interrogated several times in the prosecutor's office as a witness. The above-mentioned law does not prevent a person who was questioned as a witness from leaving the country," the lawyers noted in the appeal to the court.

The journalist's complaint against the Prosecutor General's Office has already been accepted for execution in the Nasimi court. The first court hearing was scheduled for September 5, but it was postponed because the prosecutor's representative did not come. The meeting will be held on September 11.

Shahvalad Chobanoglu is a journalist and critic, who worked in various newspapers. In 2013, more than 10 journalists were banned from leaving the country. -0-