Rauf Mirkadyrov Asks for Political Asylum in Switzerland

A well-known journalist of the newspaper Zerkalo, columnist Rauf Mirkadyrov asked for political asylum in Switzerland, the lawyer Fuad Agayev told Turan.

Recall that Mirkadyrov was sentenced to six years on charges of treason. The government argued that Mirkadyrov was "recruited" by the human rights activist Leyla Yunus to work for the Armenian intelligence.

This accusation did not find any evidence at the trial, though the journalist was convicted in 2014 and spent almost two years in jail and was released on parole after strong international pressure.

Before his arrest, he worked as a staff reporter for Zerkalo in Turkey, where he was arrested by local police and sent to Azerbaijan. His family stayed in Turkey without means of subsistence. With the support of international human rights organizations and the authorities in Switzerland, the wife and two children of Mirkadyrov were granted asylum in this country.

Three months ago, the Azerbaijani authorities gave permission to Rauf Mirkadyrov to visit his family.

The journalist explained his decision with a desire to be reunited with his family and with the continuing threat to his freedom and health, as the charges against him have not yet been removed.

International organizations recognized Mirkadyrov a prisoner of conscience. -02B-