Violent attacks against journalists continue

(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is deeply disturbed by a recent series of violent attacks against journalists in Azerbaijan, including the 6 August 1999 assault on Mirjavid Rahim, a reporter with the “Uch Noqte” daily in Baku. Rahim was assaulted by three unidentified men outside the Supreme Court in Baku, where he had gone to cover the […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is deeply disturbed by a recent series of violent attacks
against journalists in Azerbaijan, including the 6 August 1999 assault on
Mirjavid Rahim, a reporter with the “Uch Noqte” daily in Baku.

Rahim was assaulted by three unidentified men outside the Supreme Court in
Baku, where he had gone to cover the high-profile trial of Bashir Hajiyev,
the former head of a local branch of the Russian Prominvestbank, who has
been accused of embezzling 100 billion manats (about US$40 million) from the
bank. When he arrived at the courthouse at 10 a.m. (local time), Rahim
learned that the trial had been delayed.

As he was waiting outside the courthouse, the reporter was approached by an
unknown man who asked whether he had agreed to meet certain demands. Rahim
immediately recalled an incident from the previous week, when another
unidentified man approached him and demanded that he implicate a local
government official as an accomplice in the Hajiyev case. This recollection
prompted Rahim to attempt flight. But before he could make good his escape,
two more men joined the first, and the trio assaulted him.

Rahim suffered minor cuts and abrasions, but decided not seek medical
attention. Instead he returned to the offices of “Uch Noqte”, where he and
his editor called a news conference to denounce the assault along with other
recent attacks on journalists in Azerbaijan.

In the last two months, at least six other journalists have been severely
beaten in three separate incidents. On 19 June, Elman Maliyev, a reporter
with the opposition newspaper “Hurriyet”, was brutally assaulted by two
unknown men who said they were punishing him for his work. On 29 June, four
other journalists were assaulted by a group of unidentified assailants
during their raid on “Hurriyet”‘s offices. This last attack came in reprisal
for a series of articles on local oil barons. On 30 June, Kamil Tagisoy, a
correspondent with the “Yeni Musavat” opposition daily, was abducted, beaten
and threatened in retaliation for a series of articles he had written on the
state of President Heidar Aliyev’s health.

All of these incidents occurred shortly after government officials and
lawmakers condemned the work of independent and opposition journalists
during a bitter debate in the Milli Mejlis (parliament) in June over a new,
highly restrictive media bill.

Recommended Action

His Excellency Heidar Aliyev

President of Azerbaijan

19 Istiglaliyat Street

Baku, Azerbaijan 370066

Fax: +99412 92 06 25

E-mail: president@gov.az