Search conducted in Baku office of Radio
The head of Radio Corporation "Radio Liberty" Nenad Pejic condemned the search of the Baku Office of the radio station, calling it "the revenge of the authorities of Azerbaijan," Azerbaijani news agency Turan reports.
As it is noted in the article the attack on the Baku Office of "Radio Liberty" is a gross violation of international obligations of Azerbaijan. “This step, carried out by the orders of the country's leadership, is a part of armed actions aimed at silencing the "Radio Liberty", an attempt to take revenge on the radio for independent journalism.
Nenad Pejic assured that Azerbaijani regime has repeatedly tried to silence them. However, "Radio Liberty", created to ensure the right of the Azerbaijani people being informed, has never ceased its activities and will continue working.
A message stating that "Radio Azadlig" continues radio and television broadcasting in the Azerbaijani, appeared today on the site of the radio. As noted in the report, the office is sealed by the employees of the Public Prosecutor's office, at the same time the investigator Sanan Pashayev refused to hand over the radio station representatives any documents about the decision of the authorities on closure of the office. "The employees were forced to leave the office. Earlier, they were all held for several hours in one of the rooms. The use of phones and computers was prohibited," the statement reads.
Meanwhile, according to the news agency "RIA Novosti", the US expresses deep concern about the detention of the Baku based bureau of Radio "Liberty". It urges the competent authorities in Azerbaijan to adhere to international commitments to protect freedom of media. "We are deeply concerned about reports on detention and interrogation of employees during the searches at Baku office of Radio Liberty. The reasons for these actions are not clear," said a senior State Department official.
Russian service of “BBC” also touched the topic, stressing that during the search at Baku bureau the Internet and internal telephones were disconnected, the employees of radio station were forbidden to approach their computers. "Earlier the press secretary of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, had accused “Radio Azadlig” for working for foreign intelligence services," reminds the BBC.
This topic was also covered by famous Russian-language portal “Lenta.ru”. Noting that on December 26 the court was examining the criminal case against Khadija Ismayilova, a journalist working for Azerbaijani service of "Radio Liberty". Whether the searches are related with this case, is not specified. A website "Krym.Realii" in its turn reminds that earlier the Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies raided other organizations receiving funding from abroad. As a result, the organizations have had to cease operations.
During yesterday's search of the Baku Office of "Radio Liberty" employees of prosecutors’ office crumpled the documents and the equipment of the radio station – server computer, laptops, cameras, camcorders and memory cards. In addition, the safe was broken and documents, seals, forms were seized, and those correspondents that were in the office were locked in a room. They were forbidden to leave the room.
On December 5, morning, well-known Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova was detained after being questioned at the prosecutor's office. Baku Sabail District Court made a decision to detain her for two months. She was charged with incitement to suicide. If the fault of the journalist is proven, then she can be punished by a term of 3 to 7 years in prison. Khadija Ismayilova has become the target of attacks of the government for her journalistic activities. Ismayilova is an author of a number of journalistic investigations of corruption in the highest echelons of power in Azerbaijan. In recent years, she is conducting a talk show in the Azerbaijani Service of “Radio Liberty”.