Press Council Calls on Ilham Aliyev to Facilitate Release of Mehman Aliyev

Baku / 25.08.17 / Turan: The Azerbaijani Press Council appealed to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in connection with the detention of the Director of Turan News Agency, Mehman Aliyev.

The appeal noted the role of Turan in the movement for the independence of Azerbaijan in the early 1990s.

"Being one of the leading sources of information, the Agency contributed to the formation of the socio-political environment, and in this was the role of Mehman Aliyev, who proved himself in the society as a professional journalist," the appeal says.

It is further noted that Aliyev is currently detained as a suspect under articles 213.1 (tax evasion) and 308 (abuse of authority) of the Criminal Code, and the investigation is under way.

"Referring to you, we again count on your humanism, philanthropy and the manifestation of this approach with regard to the head of Turan News Agency," the Press Council said in a statement expressing the hope that the President of Azerbaijan will do his best to justly resolve the "incident" with Mehman Aliyev within the framework of the law of Azerbaijan.

"We are confident that your delicate approach will play a decisive role in solving this problem," the appeal says. -06D-