1 March 2010

Alert

Editor's detention prolonged by two more months


Incident details

Legal action

Eynulla Fatullayev, Editor
(IRFS/IFEX) - The detention term of editor Eynulla Fatullayev in the Baku Investigative Prison has been prolonged by two more months. Fatullayev is editor-in-chief of the "Gundelik Azerbaijan" and "Realniy Azerbaijan" newspapers. IRFS was informed of the development by the editor's lawyer, Elchin Sadigov.

According to Sadigov, on 25 February 2010 the Garadag District Court ordered that Fatullayev be held in the Baku Investigative Prison until 30 April. Sadigov said the ruling would be appealed because the extension of the term was not substantiated in the decision. The lawyer added that on 20 February the Garadag District Prosecutor's Office sent the editor and his lawyer a letter stating that the investigation was concluded. However, a motion was later made to prolong the term.

Sadigov added that the European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, and several other diplomats visited Fatullayev in the investigative prison on 25 February. The diplomats told the journalist that they appealed to Azerbaijan's administration several times to release him, but were unsuccessful. They told him to be patient.

According to the Mediaforum website, at the end of March Fatullayev's appeal will be considered at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

On 29 December 2009, 0.223 grams of heroin were allegedly found on Fatullayev. The editor and his lawyer believe this trumped-up charge was aimed at keeping Fatullayev in jail regardless of the ECHR's ruling on his case. A criminal case was opened against Fatullayev in the Garadag District Investigative Department under article 234.1 of the Criminal Code (illegal purchase or storage without a purpose of selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding that required for personal consumption) and he was transferred to the Baku Investigative Prison #2 on 2 January.

Fatullayev was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison on 21 April 2007 for insulting honor and dignity. He was later convicted under articles 214.1 (threatening terror), 283.2.2 (incitement of ethnic/national, social or religious hatred and abusing authority), and 213.2.2 (tax evasion) of the Criminal Code and was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison on 30 October 2007. Prior to the latest charge levelled against him, Fatullayev was serving his sentence in prison #12.

"Realniy Azerbaijan" was a weekly paper, while "Gundelik Azerbaijan" was publishing as a daily since 2005. Fatullayev established the newspapers and was the editor-in-chief of both publications. The newspapers ceased their activity after his arrest in 2007.

Source:

Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety
8 R. Behbudov St., Apt. 85/86
Baku
Azerbaijan
irfs.az (@) gmail.com
Phone: +99 412 418 0334/+99 450 398 4838
 

Stay on top of free expression news.

Sign up to receive the weekly IFEX Communiqué.


More on this case

Journalist Eynulla Fatullayev granted amnesty in honour of 28 May holiday 27 May 2011 Joint appeal to UNESCO director-general over Fatullayev case 4 May 2011 Government claims to have complied with ECHR judgment on Fatullayev case 4 May 2011 "Fifty Fatullayevs" outside London Embassy demand release of jailed Azerbaijani journalist 19 April 2011 Family of imprisoned journalist receives threatening phone call 13 April 2011 CPJ concerned about Fatullayev's safety, calls for his release 23 March 2011 Council of Europe Committee of Ministers must demand journalist's release, says International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan 2 March 2011 Fatullayev fears for his safety in prison 11 February 2011 Baku Appeals Court denies Fatullayev's appeal, defies ECHR ruling 3 February 2011 Supreme Court rejects imprisoned editor's appeal 3 January 2011 Council of Europe Committee calls on government to release Eynulla Fatullayev 8 December 2010 Fatullayev's fate lies with the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, says ARTICLE 19 6 December 2010 Editor Eynulla Fatullayev remains jailed despite ECHR call for his release 12 November 2010 In latest humiliation, newspaper editor appears in court inside cage 8 November 2010 Send a letter in support of jailed editor 29 October 2010 Joint letter calls for newspaper editor's release 28 October 2010 ECHR upholds decision on release of Eynulla Fatullayev 21 October 2010 Authorities say imprisoned journalist will not be freed regardless of appeal outcome 22 July 2010 Imprisoned editor sentenced to an additional two and a half years in prison 7 July 2010 IRFS appeals to president as imprisoned editor starts hunger strike 7 June 2010 Comply with European Court decision on case of imprisoned journalist, ARTICLE 19, International PEN urge 19 May 2010 Authorities urged to comply with ECHR order and release editor Eynulla Fatullayev 23 April 2010 European Court of Human Rights orders journalist's release 23 April 2010 Eynulla Fatullayev's appeal rejected 18 March 2010 Eynulla Fatullayev and family threatened 18 March 2010 Imprisoned editor concerned over possible threat to his life 3 March 2010 CPJ delegation calls for Eynulla Fatullayev's release 22 January 2010 Editor to be tried on new charge, sentenced to two months' detention in isolation unit 6 January 2010 Authorities trump up new charge against award-winning editor Eynulla Fatullayev 31 December 2009 Detained journalist harassed in prison 27 October 2008 Supreme Court upholds editor's conviction 4 June 2008 Imprisoned editor starts hunger strike to protest jailing of journalists 26 March 2008 Appeals court upholds conviction of critical editor 17 January 2008 Outspoken editor Eynulla Fatullayev sentenced to eight and a half years in prison 30 October 2007 Supreme Court upholds editor's prison sentence 27 August 2007 New terrorism charge brought against opposition editor already serving 30-month sentence for defamation 6 July 2007 Imprisoned editor Eynulla Fatullayev receives death threats, inhumane treatment; his conviction confirmed 8 June 2007 Fifteen journalists seek political asylum in protest against closure of newspapers 29 May 2007 Imprisoned editor Eynulla Fatullayev charged with terrorism; his home searched, his newspaper's computers, documents confiscated 24 May 2007 Imprisoned editor target of death threat; two newspapers evicted amid media harassment campaign 22 May 2007 Editor of critical newspaper brutally beaten after protesting conviction of colleague 24 April 2007 Embattled editor jailed for libel and insult over article he denies writing 23 April 2007

Azerbaijan

Newspapers fined for "damaging honour" of businessman 24 January 2012 Youth activist's appeal rejected 29 December 2011 Jabbar Savalanli released under pardon decree 29 December 2011 Journalists assaulted while covering president's birthday celebration 29 December 2011 Editor of "Yeni Musavat" receives death threats for republishing article 22 December 2011 See all alerts: Azerbaijan


 
The International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) is a global network of 95 organisations working to defend and promote the right to free expression.
Permission is granted for material on this website to be reproduced or republished in whole or in part provided the source member and/or IFEX is cited with a link to the original item.