INSTITUTE FOR REPORTERS’ FREEDOM AND SAFETY STATEMENT The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) strongly condemns the confiscation of the journalistic equipments of IRFS reporters to Nakhchivan, Hakimeldostu Mehdiyev and Elman Abbasov, who were carrying out their journalistic work at Sadarak Customs Checkpoint. Specifically, based on multiple complaints of residents against customs officers, the […]
INSTITUTE FOR REPORTERS’ FREEDOM AND SAFETY STATEMENT
The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) strongly condemns the confiscation of the journalistic equipments of IRFS reporters to Nakhchivan, Hakimeldostu Mehdiyev and Elman Abbasov, who were carrying out their journalistic work at Sadarak Customs Checkpoint.
Specifically, based on multiple complaints of residents against customs officers, the journalists crossed the Turkish border and then headed back with the view to investigate the complaints at the scene. On their return, the customs officers confiscated the photo and video cameras, as well as audio recorder of the journalists. As an excuse to confiscation, the customs employees claimed that the equipments were not mentioned in the customs declaration of journalists.
IRFS notes that Azerbaijani law does not require to include equipments worth less than 1,000 AZN in the customs declaration. Besides, the journalists, when crossed the border back, were not demanded to enlist the equipments in the declaration. Moreover, they had the equipments when they moved to Turkish side, which must have been recorded by surveillance cameras as well.
IRFS believes that confiscation of the journalists’ equipments is equal to hindrance in their professional activity. The ruling establishment of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has, for a long while, been creating obstacles before the journalists operating in Nakhchivan. Local and foreign journalist have repeatedly been persecuted or deported from Nakhchivan. IRFS believes that this incident is part of the continued persecution and harassment of journalists in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
IRFS calls on the authorities of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and Azerbaijan to take necessary measure in regards to the incident, ensure the return of the journalists’ equipments and punish the persons, who violated the journalists’ rights.
NAKHCHIVAN STATE CUSTMOS OFFICE SEIZES JOURNLAISTS’ EQUIPMENTS
On April 5th employees of Sadarak Customs Office of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic confiscated the voice recorder, photo and video cameras of Hakimeldostu Mehdiyev and Elman Abbasov, IRFS correspondents to Nakhchivan, who were returning from Turkey to Nakhchivan. “Recently, citizens frequently complain of the customs officers. We wanted to cross the border to check it. Customs Office employees demanded 20 AZN duty from us, which is not commonly required in Julfa customs office. The customs employees insisted and we had to give that money for the sake of our work,” said Hakimeldostu Mehdiyev.
When the journalists were returning, their luggage was checked several times although their luggage met all the requirement. But the chief of the Anti-Smuggling Department seized their voice recorder, photo and video cameras, citing that these equipments were not mentioned in the customs declaration.
Elman Abbasov says that it is illegal, because the equipments were not new. In addition, none of the customs employees had required them to show those devices in the declaration. In short, equipments that costs less that 1000 AZN do not need to be mentioned in the declaration.
Then customs employees reminded the journalists of their articles critical of the Customs Office. Today, the journalists went to Nakhchivan State Customs Office and met with Rasim Aliyev, the inspector of the Internal Security Office. But the equipments were not returned to the journalists and they were told that their appeals would be considered.
Mahammad Seyidov, the head of the Nakhchivan State Customs Office, accused the journalists of defending the rights of the businessman Mahammad Gurbanov, who complained against corrupt affairs of the customs employees.
KHAYAL TV EMPLOYEES STILL HELD AT INTERIOR MINISTRY DEPARTMENT FOR FIGHT AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIMES
Zaur Guliyev (editor-in-chief of Khayal TV) and Vugar Gonagov (executive director of Khayal TV) are held at the temporary detention cells of the Interior Ministry Department on Fight against Organized Crimes, lawyer Elchin Sadigov reported to Turan Information Agency.
“It is a serious legal violation. The accused must not be held in the detention cell for more than 72 hours” said Elchin Sadigov. He also added that he is not allowed to meet with his client Zaur Guliyev. “Preventing a lawyer from meeting with his client is also a legal violation” he added.
BACKGROUND
The broadcast of the video featuring Rauf Habibov (the ex chief of Guba Executive Power) insulting the citizens of Quba triggered a public riot in Guba. The citizens set Habibov’s house on fire and there were clashes between people and the police. After the protests president Ilham Aliyev dismissed Rauf Habibov from his post.
On March 13th Zaur Guliyev (editor-in-chief of Khayal TV) and Vugar Gonagov (executive director of Khayal TV) were arrested and sentenced to two months pre-trial detention. They are currently held at Department on Fight against Organized Crimes of the Interior Ministry.
Vugar Gonagov was forced by the investigator to reject his lawyer Elchin Sadigov.
NGO AND MASS MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES APPEALED FOR MEETING WITH AVAZ ZEYNALLI
On April 4th a group of human right activists and journalists sent an appeal to the below-mentioned state figures asking for a permission to meet with the imprisoned editor-in-chief of Khural newspaper Avaz Zeynalli: Minister of Justice Fikrat Mammadov, head of the Penitentiary Service Madat Guliyev , General Prosecutor Zakir Garalov, head of the Anti-Corruption Fight Office Kamran Aliyev, and Human Rights Commissioner Elmira Suleymanova, www.xural.com website reported.
To note, Avaz Zeynalli is currently held at Baku investigative prison.
The appeal reads: “By signing this appeal we state that the arrest of Avaz Zeynalli is illegal, as it was based on a single appeal by Gular Ahmadova and a compact disc presented by her that can not be evaluated as evidence. Local community representatives have not been allowed to meet with Zeynalli for already five months, because it is deemed as a factor which can impact the investigation. But journalistic investigations into Zeynalli’s case concluded that his arrest is illegal and groundless, and these factors are just an excuse to prevent local community representatives from meeting with him. But the representatives of the organizations that are directly defending Avaz Zeynalli’s rights intend to meet with him to find answer to some questions that are unclear for the media”.
The appeal was signed by the following persons: Mehman Aliyev (director of Turan Information Agency), Emin Huseynov (the chairman of the IRFS), Novella Jafaroglu (head of the Azerbaijan Human Rights Defense Center), Seadet Benenyarli (Azerbaijan National Group of International Human Rights Community), Seide Gojamanli (chief of the Bureau for the protection of human rights and legislation), Leyla Yunus (head of the Peace and Democracy Institute), Anar Mahmudoglu (journalist), Afgan Mukhtarli (journalist), Shahvalad Chobanoglu (journalist), Khadija Ismayilova (correspondent of the Azerbaijani Bureau of the Radio Liberty), Nemet Huseynli (correspondent of Bizim Yol newspaper), Irada Jafarova (chairwoman of the Enlightenment on Human Rights Public Union), Arzu Abdullayeva (Azerbaijan National Committee of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly), Shirin Jafarli (founder of the newspaper Gundam Khabar), Anar Mammadli (Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center), Azer Hesret (journalist), Ganimat Zahid (editor-in-chief of Azadlig newspaper), Seyyare Heyderova (human rights activist), Rashid Hajili (head of Media Rights Institute) and Melahet Zeynalli (correspondent of Khural newspaper).
