Ministry of Labor Official Beats Journalist in Gadabay

Baku / 06.05.20 / Turan: Anews.az correspondent Zaur Gambarov was beaten up by the head of the Gadabay region’s State Social Protection Fund (SSPF) Elsun Khudaverdiev and his driver Isfandiyar Galandarov. The incident occurred on May 4, when Gambarov came to the SSPF department to investigate a complaint.

During a conversation with the deputy head of the SSPF, Ibrahim Aleskerov, Galandarov burst into the office and began to insult the journalist, Anews.az said.

Galandarov began to threaten the journalist and demanded to go out into the corridor to "talk". In the hallway, Galandarov continued to insult the journalist. Khudaverdiev who was present there saw that the journalist was recording the incident on his mobile phone, and tore it out of the reporter’s hands, and then knocked him down and kicked him. When the correspondent tried to return the phone, the official hit him on the hands.

The brawl continued for some time, and the reporter was subjected to physical pressure from Khudaverdiev and his driver.

In connection with the incident, the editors appealed to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. However, the reporter was accused in this department of having entered the room of the head of the department, Ibrahim Aleskerov, and insulting the official.

The editors submitted to the Ministry the broken telephone and photos of Gambarov’s bloodied hands, and everything that happened was recorded by the SSPF video surveillance cameras.

“We have no doubt that the impunity of Khudaverdiev’s actions encourages such officials to illegal actions against citizens and journalists,” the editorial said.

The website appealed to law enforcement authorities with a request to prosecute Khudaverdiev and his driver. The editors also appeal to the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, with a request to provide assistance to punish those who commit arbitrariness in the Gadabay region.

The comment of the opposite side could not be obtained. —06D-