(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged French President Jacques Chirac to raise the case of a prominent jailed editor, to try to obtain his release, during an official visit to France by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev on 22 and 23 January 2004. Rauf Arifoglu, editor-in-chief of the country’s leading daily newspaper, “Yeni Musavat”, has been detained […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged French President Jacques Chirac to raise the case of a prominent jailed editor, to try to obtain his release, during an official visit to France by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev on 22 and 23 January 2004.
Rauf Arifoglu, editor-in-chief of the country’s leading daily newspaper, “Yeni Musavat”, has been detained in the capital, Baku, since 27 October 2003. He was officially accused of organising the rioting that broke out following the disputed presidential elections of 15 October. Arifoglu may face a seven-year jail term.
“This is the first foreign visit to be made by President Aliev since he took over the presidency. The European Union, Council of Europe and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) are all waiting for Azerbaijan’s new leader to take up the challenge of bringing in democratic reforms,” the organisation said in a 21 January letter to the French head of state.
“Knowing France’s commitment to freedom of expression, we would be grateful if you could raise the case with Mr Aliev, to try to obtain Arifoglu’s release. We are convinced that this gesture would benefit both Azerbaijan and its new leader, and that it would be welcomed by the international community,” RSF’s letter to Chirac concluded.
Arifoglu, who is also deputy president of the opposition party Musavat, has been remanded in custody in Baku’s Bailov jail since 27 October. On 17 January, the Prosecutor’s Office extended his detention by three more months while he awaits trial.
RSF has previously protested to the authorities about Arifoglu’s unjustified detention, particularly during an investigative visit to Baku in December, when the organisation called for him to be released on bail while awaiting trial. The OSCE made the same appeal without success.
