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TWELVE RFE REPORTERS ARRESTED AND INTERROGATED BY AZERBAIJANI AUTHORITIES
India Gazette
Dec 29 2014
RFE Monday 29th December, 2014
BAKU, Azerbaijan - Twelve employees of RFE/RL's Baku bureau have been
forcibly detained by the Azerbaijani authorities for questioning,
with more ordered to appear for questioning on December 29 or face
similar detentions.
All 12 were released without charge on December 28 after being
questioned for up to 12 hours in the latest crackdown against the
activities of RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, known as Radio Azadliq.
It came two days after state prosecutors ransacked and shut down the
Baku bureau of the U.S.-government-funded broadcaster.
Those physically summoned for questioning were not allowed
representation by a lawyer.
Prosecutors told an attorney for Azadliq staff that he had been
stripped of his right to work with RFE/RL and also must submit to
questioning.
Eight other current and former employees of Azadliq were also told they
would be forcibly detained if they refused to report for questioning
on December 29
RFE/RL Editor in Chief and co-CEO Nenad Pejic condemned the action,
saying Azerbaijani authorities were "terrorizing" staff and their
families.
Authorities began to raid the Baku homes of the RFE/RL employees late
at night on December 27.
Kamran Mahmudov, the anchor of the daily radio show for Radio Azadliq,
was taken from his apartment early in the morning of December 28
after police forced their way into his home.
Mahmudov's wife, Latifa, said he was taken from their apartment
without time to put on shoes or outdoor clothing.
Police have also detained Chingiz Sultansoy, the editor of Azadliq's
Russian-language site, as well as the bureau's cleaning woman,
Matanat Abdinova.
The employees were later escorted to the heavy crimes unit of the
state prosecutor's office for questioning.
The forced apprehensions are the latest step in a crackdown on RFE/RL
activities in Azerbaijan.
On December 26, inspectors from the prosecutor's office raided the
Azadliq bureau. They ransacked the company safe, seized computers,
memory sticks, and documents, and sealed the office shut.
Since then, nearly all Azadliq staff members and freelancers have
been requested by telephone to appear for questioning.
Many have refused to appear until they can arrange for a lawyer to
be present.
One lawyer representing the Azadliq staff said people were being
"dragged" to the prosecutor's office "by force and threats."
The office raid and forced questioning come as prosecutors are
investigating the Azadliq office as a foreign-funded entity. RFE/RL
and its bureaus are funded by the U.S. government.
Siyavoush Novruzov, a high-ranking member of the ruling Yeni Azerbaycan
Party, defended the raid as a national security issue.
Speaking to local media, he said it was necessary to close the bureau
to prevent espionage, adding, "every place that works for foreign
intelligence and the Armenian lobby should be raided."
Meanwhile, in Brussels, a spokesperson for the secretary-general of the
Council of Europe said that "the reported closure of Radio Free Europe
office again raises concerns over freedom of expression in Azerbaijan."
The spokesperson said in a December 28 statement that the Council
of Europe "will request the reason and legal justification for this
action from the Azerbaijani authorities."
The focus on RFE/RL comes amid a broader crackdown on independent
journalists, activists, and nongovernment organizations working in
the oil-rich Caspian country.
As many as 15 journalists and bloggers are currently behind bars in
Azerbaijan, including Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative reporter
and RFE/RL contributor.
Other detainees include Leyla Yunus, one of the country's , whose work
includes the promotion of normalized ties with neighboring Armenia.
She and her husband, Arif, are currently being held in pretrial
detention on charges including high treason.
The U.S. State Department, Helsinki Commission, Broadcasting Board
of Governors, and Reporters Without Borders have all condemned the
raid on RFE/RL.
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, the chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission,
said in a statement, "the free and independent press in Azerbaijan
remains under attack by the very authorities who should be most
committed to its protection."
Reporters Without Borders has condemned the raid on the Baku bureau
of RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service as the latest attempt to stamp out
media pluralism in the country.
The organization ranked Azerbaijan 160th out of 180 countries in its
2014 press freedom index.
RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, which is known inside Azerbaijan as
Radio Azadliq, has been banned from broadcasting since 2009 but
continues to reach the public through its website.
The closure of the Baku bureau follows similar measures taken recently
against nongovernmental organizations supporting free-media efforts
in Azerbaijan.
The offices of the Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety, the
Media Rights Institute, and the International Research and Exchanges
Board (IREX) were all raided in August and sealed shut.
Additional NGOs like the National Democratic Institute and Oxfam have
also been closed following similar raids.
Critics have accused Azerbaijan and its president, Ilham Aliyev, of
using its energy wealth to ingratiate itself with the West despite
its rampant rights abuses.
Azerbaijan in November concluded a six-month presidency of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the leading European
organization tasked with upholding human rights values.
The Council of Europe said in a statement on December 28 it will
request the reason and legal justification for this action from the
Azerbaijani authorities.
http://www.indiagazette.com/index.php/sid/228922609
India Gazette
Dec 29 2014
RFE Monday 29th December, 2014
BAKU, Azerbaijan - Twelve employees of RFE/RL's Baku bureau have been
forcibly detained by the Azerbaijani authorities for questioning,
with more ordered to appear for questioning on December 29 or face
similar detentions.
All 12 were released without charge on December 28 after being
questioned for up to 12 hours in the latest crackdown against the
activities of RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, known as Radio Azadliq.
It came two days after state prosecutors ransacked and shut down the
Baku bureau of the U.S.-government-funded broadcaster.
Those physically summoned for questioning were not allowed
representation by a lawyer.
Prosecutors told an attorney for Azadliq staff that he had been
stripped of his right to work with RFE/RL and also must submit to
questioning.
Eight other current and former employees of Azadliq were also told they
would be forcibly detained if they refused to report for questioning
on December 29
RFE/RL Editor in Chief and co-CEO Nenad Pejic condemned the action,
saying Azerbaijani authorities were "terrorizing" staff and their
families.
Authorities began to raid the Baku homes of the RFE/RL employees late
at night on December 27.
Kamran Mahmudov, the anchor of the daily radio show for Radio Azadliq,
was taken from his apartment early in the morning of December 28
after police forced their way into his home.
Mahmudov's wife, Latifa, said he was taken from their apartment
without time to put on shoes or outdoor clothing.
Police have also detained Chingiz Sultansoy, the editor of Azadliq's
Russian-language site, as well as the bureau's cleaning woman,
Matanat Abdinova.
The employees were later escorted to the heavy crimes unit of the
state prosecutor's office for questioning.
The forced apprehensions are the latest step in a crackdown on RFE/RL
activities in Azerbaijan.
On December 26, inspectors from the prosecutor's office raided the
Azadliq bureau. They ransacked the company safe, seized computers,
memory sticks, and documents, and sealed the office shut.
Since then, nearly all Azadliq staff members and freelancers have
been requested by telephone to appear for questioning.
Many have refused to appear until they can arrange for a lawyer to
be present.
One lawyer representing the Azadliq staff said people were being
"dragged" to the prosecutor's office "by force and threats."
The office raid and forced questioning come as prosecutors are
investigating the Azadliq office as a foreign-funded entity. RFE/RL
and its bureaus are funded by the U.S. government.
Siyavoush Novruzov, a high-ranking member of the ruling Yeni Azerbaycan
Party, defended the raid as a national security issue.
Speaking to local media, he said it was necessary to close the bureau
to prevent espionage, adding, "every place that works for foreign
intelligence and the Armenian lobby should be raided."
Meanwhile, in Brussels, a spokesperson for the secretary-general of the
Council of Europe said that "the reported closure of Radio Free Europe
office again raises concerns over freedom of expression in Azerbaijan."
The spokesperson said in a December 28 statement that the Council
of Europe "will request the reason and legal justification for this
action from the Azerbaijani authorities."
The focus on RFE/RL comes amid a broader crackdown on independent
journalists, activists, and nongovernment organizations working in
the oil-rich Caspian country.
As many as 15 journalists and bloggers are currently behind bars in
Azerbaijan, including Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative reporter
and RFE/RL contributor.
Other detainees include Leyla Yunus, one of the country's , whose work
includes the promotion of normalized ties with neighboring Armenia.
She and her husband, Arif, are currently being held in pretrial
detention on charges including high treason.
The U.S. State Department, Helsinki Commission, Broadcasting Board
of Governors, and Reporters Without Borders have all condemned the
raid on RFE/RL.
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, the chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission,
said in a statement, "the free and independent press in Azerbaijan
remains under attack by the very authorities who should be most
committed to its protection."
Reporters Without Borders has condemned the raid on the Baku bureau
of RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service as the latest attempt to stamp out
media pluralism in the country.
The organization ranked Azerbaijan 160th out of 180 countries in its
2014 press freedom index.
RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, which is known inside Azerbaijan as
Radio Azadliq, has been banned from broadcasting since 2009 but
continues to reach the public through its website.
The closure of the Baku bureau follows similar measures taken recently
against nongovernmental organizations supporting free-media efforts
in Azerbaijan.
The offices of the Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety, the
Media Rights Institute, and the International Research and Exchanges
Board (IREX) were all raided in August and sealed shut.
Additional NGOs like the National Democratic Institute and Oxfam have
also been closed following similar raids.
Critics have accused Azerbaijan and its president, Ilham Aliyev, of
using its energy wealth to ingratiate itself with the West despite
its rampant rights abuses.
Azerbaijan in November concluded a six-month presidency of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the leading European
organization tasked with upholding human rights values.
The Council of Europe said in a statement on December 28 it will
request the reason and legal justification for this action from the
Azerbaijani authorities.
http://www.indiagazette.com/index.php/sid/228922609