Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS)

(IRFS/IFEX) – Anar Niftaliyev (also known as Mahmudoglu), the author of “One Lifetime Struggle”, has been declared a “wanted person”. Niftaliyev told the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) that this decision was made because he did not give the court his copies of “One Lifetime Struggle”. The book “One Lifetime Struggle” was published […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – On 30 October 2008, “Ideal” newspaper founder Nazim Guliyev was sentenced to pre-trial detention and an arrest warrant was issued for him during a hearing in the Nasimi District Court, under the chairmanship of Judge Emin Mehdiyev. The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) was told this by a source in the […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – “Azadlig” newspaper correspondent Seymur Haziyev has told IRFS that an attempt was made to push him in front of a train in a metro station. “Yesterday (24 October) at around 3:00 p.m. I entered Elmler Akademiyasi metro station,” said Haziyev. “At that moment I noticed that someone in a yellow jacket was following […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) is concerned about the pressure being placed on the imprisoned editor-in-chief of the “Gundalik Azerbayjan” and “Realny Azerbayjan” newspapers, Eynulla Fatullayev, and his placement in a punishment cell. During a press conference conducted on 22 October 2008 Fataullyev’s father, Emin Fatullayev, said, “In the prison […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) condemns the premature transfer of imprisoned “Azadlig” newspaper journalist/satirist Sakit Zahidov from medical treatment back to Prison #14 and the beating of Zahidov upon his return to prison. During a 20 October 2008 press conference, Zahidov’s wife, Rena Zahidova, said that her husband was transferred […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – According to the http://www.ria.az website, on 15 October 2008, at approximately 4 p.m. (local time), two unknown people threatened Reporter Information Agency (RIA) photojournalist Ulviyya Akhundova. “The journalist was told to cease the activities of the agency, or else she will encounter problems,” reported ria.az. “The people who introduced themselves as police alleged […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – On the morning of 27 August 2008, a confrontation occurred between the police and residents of the village of Nahrem, in Azerbaijan’s Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan. During the confrontation, Radio Liberty correspondents Malahet Nasibova and Ilgar Nasibov, and IRFS correspondent Elman Abbasov were assaulted. The three journalists were at the village to report […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – On 19 August 2008, lawyer Alayif Hasanov visited imprisoned “Azadlig” newspaper journalist Sakit Zahidov in prison number 14. Hasanov told IRFS that during their conversation, Zahidov said his life is in grave danger. According to Zahidov, one of his fellow prisoners was provided with scissors and ordered to kill him. He believes that […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – IRFS condemns the opening of gunfire by Russian soldiers on a television crew from the Azerbaijani station ANS TV and Turkish journalists in Gori on 14 August 2008. According to ANS, on 14 August Russian tanks blocked all entrances to Gori. Russian armed forces did not permit the journalists, who are covering the […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – On 11 August 2008, two of the most popular websites in Azerbaijan, http:// www.day.az/ and http://www.ans.az/, were hacked. “Our site was attacked three times by Russian hackers, but every time we were able to repel the attacks,” Anspress.com chief editor Aytan Safarova told IRFS. According to Safarova, the Russians are trying to create […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – At approximately 4:00 p.m. (local time) on 9 August 2008, “Yeni Musavat” newspaper correspondent Afgan Mukhtarli was detained by police officers from the Nasimi District Police Department. He was held for two hours and released at approximately 6:00 p.m. “Today, a group of members of Azerbaijan’s European Integration Commission presented an appeal to […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – On 24 July 2008, the one-year anniversary of the arrest of “Bizim Yol” newspaper correspondent Mushfig Huseynov, IRFS recalled that the journalist is still under detention. Huseynov was arrested by employees of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office and the National Security Ministry’s Anti-terrorism Department on 24 July 2007. He was convicted of demanding a […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – On 24 July 2008, IRFS Chairman Emin Huseynov filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Interior, the Nasimi District Police Department and the police department’s Unit #22. The lawsuit was prepared by Rashid Hajili, from the Media Rights Institute, Khalid Agaliyev and Elchin Sadigov and was submitted to the Nasimi District Court. The […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – On 16 July 2008, Sabuhi Mammadli, a correspondent for “Yeni Musavat” newspaper, was threatened by physician Rauf Agayev, of the Jalilabad Court Medical Expertise Department, and his relative, Faraj Bayramov. According to Mammadli, the threat stems from his 15 July article, “Inhuman Action of an Official in Jalilabad”. Bayramov telephoned Mammadli and told […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – IRFS condemns a 15 July 2008 decision by the Nasimi District Court, recognising Sergey Strekalin as the person who stabbed “Azadlig” newspaper correspondent Agil Khalil on 13 March. Judge Shahin Abdullayev found Strekalin guilty of both “intentional infliction of minor bodily harm” (for the 13 March stabbing) and “possession of narcotics” (for a […]

(IRFS/IFEX) – The following is a 10 July 2008 IRFS press release: Baku, Azerbaijan IRFS EXPRESSES PROTEST AGAINST EDITORIAL ARTICLE RUN IN CANADIAN NEWSPAPER OPEN LETTER TO THE GAZETTE, BASED IN MONTREAL, CANADA – “SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN AZERBAIJAN AND THE CASE OF PERSECUTED JOURNALIST AGIL KHALIL” We, the Institute for […]