International Freedom of Expression Exchange: The global network for free expression
27 July 2010
Alert
Authorities refuse to free jailed blogger who qualifies for parole
(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders condemns the insistence of the authorities in keeping bloggers Adnan Hadjizade and Emin Milli in prison. On 26 July 2010, a court in the Baku district of Garadag refused to grant Hadjizade the early conditional release for which he qualifies after completing half of his 24-month jail sentence.
Prison director Ali Nabiyev and his deputy opposed his release on the grounds that he did not do enough prison work and met with his lawyer too often. A similar hearing will probably be held for Milli in October, when he will have completed half of his 30-month sentence.
Arrested in Baku on 8 July 2009, Hadjizade and Milli were convicted on 11 November on clearly trumped-up charges of hooliganism and "deliberate physical violence."
Their lawyer has appealed to the supreme court, which is due to examine their case on 10 August. The judicial farce is continuing despite the support they have been getting from the international community and the calls for their release that have been voiced by such people as US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and EU commissioner for human rights Thomas Hammarberg.
Source:
Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
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