Management of Radio Liberty Condemns Harassment of Journalists in Azerbaijan

In connection with the illegal search of the apartments of journalists working for Radio Azadlig (Liberty) and the confiscation of their equipment, the management of the radio made a statement on 29 September.

The paper recalled that on September 26 the rented apartment of the employee of the Azerbaijani service of Radio Azadlig Islam Shikhali was searched and his computer, video camera, microphone, mobile phone, passport and other documents were confiscated.

"In view of the fact that he was seized the equipment, it seems that Shikhali is persecuted for his journalistic activities," said the chief editor of Radio Azadlig Nenad Pejic.

"The police had no right to confiscate the equipment. They should immediately return the equipment and allow Shikhali to work by stopping the prosecution," he said.

On 28 September Islam Shikhali was questioned in the prosecutor's office, where he was demanded information on the activities of Radio Azadlig, his colleagues and friends on Facebook.

During the search in his apartment a friend of Shikhali’s was shown the court's decision that the search was carried out on the basis of allegations of tax evasion.

Similar charges were brought earlier against the currently imprisoned employee of Radio Azadlig Khadija Ismayilova, as well as a number of other journalists and human rights defenders. These persons are considered "political prisoners" by US lawmakers, officials of European states and international human rights groups.

The statement also said that on December 26 last year, the Baku office of Radio Azadlig was searched, the equipment was arrested, more than 20 employees were questioned, and the bank accounts were frozen. Several journalists have left the country, while the rest live in fear of arrest.

The prosecution bodies of Azerbaijan do not comment on the reasons for not carrying out searches in the apartments of journalists, confiscation of their equipment and their interrogation. -16D04-