Politics 19:09 21/04/2016

Relatives publicly renounce Azerbaijani opposition Meydan TV’s editor-in-chief due to criminal case

Popular Azerbaijani artist Mayis Agabeyov, father-in-law of the Azerbaijani opposition blogger and manager of the online media outlet Meydan TV Emin Milli, sent an appeal to the Azerbaijani president with regard to his son Nazim Agabeyov’s arrest, Modern.az reports.

According to the report, the statement is about his son-in-law Emin Milli’s campaign against the Azerbaijani state, which Agabeyov considers “worthless.” Agabeyov notes in the letter that on July 23, 2015, on the way to work, his son Nazim Agabeyov was taken to Baku police department by “men in civilian outfits,” who put cuffs over his hands. He was charged under the Article 234.4.3 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, and the case is being considered by Baku Court on Grave Crimes. According to his father, as a result, they had to cut all the ties with Emin Milli, and there is no logical base for accusing his son of drug traffic.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani news agency Turan reports that according to lawyer Elchin Sadigov, a criminal investigation has been launched in Azerbaijan against the online media outlet Meydan TV, and 15 journalists are sued.

Sadigov noted that on April 18, 2016, the Narimanov district court refused to consider the complaint, which stated that his defendant journalist Shirin Abbasov’s detention in theMain Organized Crime Department, tortures, inhuman treatment against him, search in his apartment, as well as travel ban are illegal. The journalist had collaborated with Meydan TV. It is noted that in September of the last year, Abbasov was arrested for 30 days and was kept in the Main Organized Crime Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. 

Sadigov also noted that the criminal case had been initiated back in 2015 (most likely in September), when Abbasov was arrested. The Main Organized Crime Department put pressure on him in order to obtain testimony against the Meydan TV executives and colleagues.

It is significant that there are no specific criminal charges against the 15 journalists, however, they are not allowed to leave the country, they faced tax audit, they are regularly interrogated, and some of them faced search and equipment withdrawal. The lawyer, who considers the criminal case far-fetched, does not leave out the possibility that Meydan TV journalists can be arrested, taking into account that criminal cases on similar charges were carried out against dozens of NGOs, and their leaders were convicted.

“As for the reason of filing the criminal case, it is Meydan TV’s investigation into the protests of the population in Mingachevir after a detainee threw himself out of the police department window. Thevideoofthecitizens’ protestseriouslydisturbedtheauthorities. During the interrogations of the journalists, attempts were made to find out who had given them that video, who had ordered to show it, and so on,” the agency informs.

In regard to this situation, Milli stated that Meydan TV has not carried out any illegal activities, the financial reports have been presented to corresponding organs of the country where the online media outlet works, and Meydan TV does not run any business in Azerbaijan. He also called absurd the investigation under articles on illegal entrepreneurship, large-scale tax evasion, etc., as the journalists collaborated with the source only on a voluntary basis.

“Our only ‘crime’ has been the use of our right of freedom of speech,” Milli stated adding that the criminal case aims at frightening the journalists who have collaborated with the source the Azerbaijani authorities intend to ban “putting pressure on the democratic atmosphere.”

In its turn, international human rights organization Index on Censorship strongly condemned the Azerbaijani authorities for the launch of a criminal investigation into online media outlet Meydan TV

“Meydan TV and its staff have been ruthlessly targeted by Azerbaijani authorities. The charges invoked against Meydan TV are of similar nature to the charges that were used to send journalists and government critics to prison,” said Index representative Melody Patry adding that this fact confirms the Azerbaijani government has no intention of changing its approach toward independent media and free expression in the country.

The human rights organization said in its statement that the harassment of Meydan TV and its journalists is not new. Besides, it is reminded that in 2013, the independent newspaper Azadliq was forced to stop printing and has teetered on the edge of bankruptcy as well.

Earlier, there were numerous reports over online Meydan TV journalists’ detentions and interrogations in the police in Azerbaijan.  On September 16, the police detained freelance reporter Aytaj Akhmedova and her intern. Shirin Abbasov was sentenced the following day to 30-day administrative detention allegedly for disobeying the police. On September 18, freelance photojournalist Ahmed Mukhtar, whose brother works for Meydan TV, was detained and questioned. The next day three other journalists, Ayten Farhadova, Sevinj Vagifgizi and Izolda Agaeva, were detained upon their arrival at the Baku airport and transported to the police station.

The relatives of the reporters of the online resource are also persecuted. Last October, the Azerbaijani police detained Raja and Vekil Imanovs, the brothers of Gunel Movlud, who works as an editor and columnist for Meydan TV. They were charged with alleged “drug possession.” After this, the journalist’s mother said she renounced her daughter because her sons had been arrested for Movlud’s work for Meydan TV.

Earlier, in June 2015, in an appeal to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, 23 relatives of the director of Meydan TV, Emin Milli, declared they cut ties with him. Emin Milli’s relatives’ desperate step may be connected with June 27 arrest of his wife’s brother, programmer Nazim Agabekov, who was later “found to possess drugs.” This was perceived by many as a form of pressure on the oppositionist blogger.

 



Source Panorama.am
Share |
Տեքստում սխալ կամ վրիպակ նկատելու դեպքում, ուղարկեք խմբագրին հաղորդագրություն` նշելով տվյալ սխալը, այնուհետև սեղմելով Ctrl-Enter:

Newsfeed

17:12
Armenia to face Georgia in Nations League play-off
The 2024/25 UEFA Nations League knockout stage and play-off ties have been confirmed following the draw in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday....
16:36
Hayk Marutyan agrees to debate with Tigran Avinyan
New Power party leader Hayk Marutyan has agreed to a TV debate with incumbent Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan. Marutyan, a former Yerevan...
15:45
Opposition politician: Pashinyan leading Armenia to 'final collapse'
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration is leading Armenia to the “final collapse” and Turkification, opposition...
15:05
Caretaker deputy justice minister sacked
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has signed a decree to dismiss Armenuhi Harutyunyan as Acting Deputy Minister of Justice....
14:35
Armenian parliament speaker confirms MP's resignation
National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has issued a statement on the resignation of Narek Zeynalyan as an MP from Armenia’s ruling Civil...
14:06
Visa restricts media access to key event in Yerevan
Visa has restricted the media access to the Cashless Forum 2024 to be held in Yerevan for the first time on November 22. Only...
13:36
Orban says he will invite Netanyahu to Hungary after ICC warrant
Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday he would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, saying he would guarantee...
13:11
Temps to plummet in Armenia
Clear weather is expected in Armenia's regions on Friday and over the weekend. Rain and snow are forecast for most parts of the country...
12:32
Alexis Ohanian showcases rare Armenian coin
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has showcased a rare Armenian coin from 95 BC featuring Tigranes the Great, a famous Armenian king....
12:16
German foreign minister criticizes Azerbaijan's human rights record
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock criticized the human rights record of Azerbaijan during her first appearance at the UN Climate Change...
12:06
Minister shares new images captured by Armenia's first satellite
Armenia's Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan has shared new satellite images from orbit captured by ARMSAT-1,...
11:36
World Cadet Chess Championship passes its halfway mark
The 2024 World Cadet Chess Championship has passed its halfway mark in Montesilvano, Italy. After 6 rounds, in the Open 12 category CM...
11:15
Iran to launch 'new and advanced centrifuges' in response to IAEA censure
Iran said Friday it would launch a series of "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to a resolution adopted by the IAEA that...
11:00
Armenian, Iranian foreign ministers hold phone call
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Thursday had a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi....
17:07
Winter military draft starts in Armenia on November 25
The winter conscription for compulsory military service starts in Armenia on November 25 to run through January 31, 2025. The...
16:45
Russian spokeswoman told not to comment on ballistic missile strike live on air
Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova received a phone call during a live press briefing on Thursday telling her not to...
16:33
Belgian politicians call for immediate release of all Armenian prisoners held in Baku
In the backdrop of the COP29 currently taking place in Baku 20 members of the Belgian Federal Parliament, the Flemish Parliament, the Walloon...
16:06
Armenia thwarts large-scale drug smuggling attempt
Officers of Armenia’s State Revenue Committee (SRC) have foiled an attempt to smuggle some 1,600 grams of cocaine into the country as part...
15:33
Armenian government reduces financial aid for Artsakh refugees
The Armenian government on Thursday approved a decision to reduce financial aid for the displaced Artsakh Armenians. Starting from...
14:45
Percival Everett wins National Book Award
Percival Everett has won the $10,000 National Book Award for fiction, one of the US’s most prestigious literary prizes, for James, his...
14:35
Pyunik v West Armenia match canceled
An Armenian Premier League match between FC Pyunik and West Armenia has been canceled. The 17th round match was scheduled for November 21....
14:06
Armenian Foreign Ministry denies cooperation with Azerbaijan on water management
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry has denied claims of cooperation with Azerbaijan on transboundary water resources management. In a social...
13:36
No rain in sight for rest of the week
Clear weather is expected in Armenia's regions from Thursday to Sunday.  Rain and snow are forecast for most parts of the country...
13:06
Pashinyan thanks dismissed officials for cooperation
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed gratitude to the dismissed top government officials for joint work and wished good luck to...
12:36
Armenian church marks Presentation of Virgin Mary
The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Thursday, November 21. According to tradition,...
12:15
Luxembourg's parliament demands immediate release of all unlawfully imprisoned persons in Azerbaijan
Luxembourg’s Chamber of Deputies has adopted a resolution condemning the Azerbaijani government’s sanctions against the freedom of...
12:00
Davit Khudatyan appointed minister of territorial administration
Armavir Governor Davit Khudatyan has been appointed Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure. Armenian President Vahagn...
11:45
Australia launches bill to ban social media for children under 16
Australia's centre-left government on Thursday introduced a bill in parliament that aims to ban social media for children under 16 and...
11:30
Armenia's Andranik Avetisyan wins gold at World Military Wrestling Championships
The 37th World Military Wrestling Championships kicked off in Yerevan, Armenia, on Wednesday, bringing together 400 participants...
11:10
Leopard missing for two years spotted in Armenia's Tavush
A leopard, that lost its front paw and disappered from Armenia's Vayots Dzor Province in December 2022, has been spotted in...

Follow us and get updates!

Most popular articles

{"core.blocks.header.spell_message1":"Selected mistake: ","core.blocks.header.spell_message2":"Send a message about the mistake?"}