Journalist�s camera and phone were taken away during the filming

Baku / 02.08.17 / Turan: Independent journalist Aytaj Ahmedova was subjected to violence today while performing her professional duties. The incident happened near the "Salt Lake" in the Surakhani district of the capital. The journalist filmed the process of demolition of objects belonging to internally displaced persons, said Ahmedova.

"First a man in civilian clothes came up to me and, seized my phone, and ran away. I ran after him, but I could not get the phone. He got into the car. Less than 20 minutes, a representative of the executive power of Surakhani district arrived and returned my phone to me," the journalist said.

According to her, all this was happening in front of policemen who did not react. At the site of the demolition of the objects there was a conflict between the owner of the facility and the representative of the executive power. When the journalist filmed the incident, she was deprived of a video camera with a tripod. The man in the civilian who took them away got in the car "VAZ2107" with the numbers "99LX720", and left.

In connection with the incident, the journalist appealed to the Press Council, law enforcement agencies, the executive power of the Surakhani district. The Press Council stated that the incident was being investigated, the representative of the joint venture Avaz Rustamov contacted the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the executive power. According to him, he was told that the journalist"s camera will be returned within a day.

In the Executive Power of Surakhani district, Turan was told that "there are no reasons for concern". The issue has been settled, the camera and tripod will be handed over to the police, and on August 3 they can be taken back. -0-