The Institute for Reporters‘ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) demands unconditional release of Mehman Huseynov
Baku/12.04.17/Turan: The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) resolutely condemns today’s decision of the Court of Appeals in Baku, Azerbaijan to uphold on appeal the two-year prison sentence of Mehman Huseynov on charges of defamation.IRFS believes their chairman and popular blogger Mehman Huseynov was targeted solely for his critical reporting of official corruption and nepotism, and that he should be released immediately and unconditionally.
The Baku Court of Appeals upheld the ruling of the lower court from 3 March, which sentenced Mehman to two years in prison for defamation. The court ignored the facts of the case and refused to properly investigate the torture of Mehman in jail on 9 January.
“Mehman should never have been on trial in the first place. Those who tortured and harassed him should have been. Mehman's case is yet another shameful example of the relentless government campaign to crush independent and critical activists and voices".
“Nothing about the court decision is surprising, it is just a continuation of the harsh treatment Mehman and IRFS have received since 2008. Mehman has been working in the best interest of the Azerbaijani people and trying to expose corruption wherever he finds it. This is the real reason he was detained, beaten, fined, charged and sentenced to two years for a defamation case, which should not be a criminal offense in the first place”, IRFS CEO Emin Huseynov said.
IRFS calls for the immediate release of journalist and human rights defender Mehman Huseynov, for his conviction to be overturned, and for his allegations of torture to be thoroughly and impartially investigated.
IRFS calls for anyone found responsible for violating Huseynov’s rights to be brought to justice and for Huseynov to be provided with adequate redress for any such violations, including an enforceable right to compensation for any torture he is found to have been subjected to. —0—
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