Representatives of the public honored the memory of journalist Rasim Aliyev

Baku / 09.08.18 / Turan: A group of journalists and civil society activists today honored the memory of journalist Rasim Aliyev at his grave on the occasion of the third anniversary of his death. On August 8, 2015 the Chairman of the Institute of Freedom and Safety of Reporters, Rasim Aliyev, was brutally beaten by a group of people on the street, and died on the night of August 9 in the hospital.

The attack on Aliyev was committed by relatives and acquaintances of Javid Huseynov, the football player of FC Gabala, after the journalist criticized the "face to face" unpleasant behavior of the football on the field. Six people were arrested in connection with the attack on the journalist. Five of them were sentenced to long prison terms. The case against the football player was separated. On May 31, 2015 Huseynov was sentenced to 4 years in prison on charges of not informing a known crime. However, in October 2016, the Baku Appeals Court released him before time.

Participants in today's funeral ceremony focused on the continuing pressure of the authorities on media and journalists. "We lost Rasim Aliyev three years ago. These losses continue today. One of these days the mother of Mehman and Emin Huseynov died. This is a loss in the fight. Those who kill them are the enemies of the Azerbaijani people.

"We see a repressive system that seeks to break this struggle. But it can not be done," said the director of Turan agency Mehman Aliyev. " There is a lot of confusion in connection with the death of the journalist. There will come a time in a free country, an independent court will give an objective and fair assessment of the murder of Rasim," said human rights activist Samir Kazymly.

The head of the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners, Elshan Hasanov, said about the embarrassing situation in the country with human rights. "First they threatened journalists, then NGO activists, now - lawyers. Today, anyone who comes forward with criticism can be planted drugs. I expect something like this about myself every day. This is the general situation," Hasanov said.

Human rights activist Samira Agayeva drew attention to threats and attacks on IRFS. This NGO had three chairmen: Emin Huseynov is now in forced emigration, Rasim Aliyev who headed the IRFS after Emin was killed, and the current chairman Mehman Huseynov was thrown into prison, Agayeva said. -03C06-