23 March 2011

Alert

CPJ concerned about Fatullayev's safety, calls for his release


Incident details

Ill health/deteriorating health, Imprisonment

Eynulla Fatullayev, Editor
(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, March 21, 2011 - The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed alarm today about reported threats in prison against embattled editor Eynulla Fatullayev. According to CPJ interviews and local press reports, Fatullayev has feared for his life since his recent transfer to a new jail, prompting him to request that he be isolated from other inmates. Now in solitary confinement, his health has deteriorated and he has not received medical treatment, according to CPJ research.

According to Anar Gasymov, a member of Fatullayev's legal team, the journalist's life is in danger. Fatullayev received a tip that hostile inmates have been getting ready to assault him since he was transferred to Prison No. 1 in Baku on March 2, Gasymov told the independent Caucasus news website Kavkazsky Uzel.

Emin Huseynov, head of the Baku-based Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), an organization that has long advocated for Fatullayev's release, told CPJ that the editor has bronchitis, as well as skin and urinary tract infections. His weight has significantly dropped, Huseynov said.

"We call on authorities at Baku's Prison No. 1 to ensure that Fatullayev receives prompt and adequate medical treatment and that his safety in custody is guaranteed," CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "Fatullayev's imprisonment is altogether illegal. Azerbaijan must abide by its international commitments and release him at once."

Until early March, authorities kept Fatullayev in a pretrial detention facility in Baku, while he was appealing his two-and-a-half-year prison sentence on fabricated drug-possession charges; the Baku Appeal's Court denied the appeal on January 25. According to Huseynov, following his rebuffed appeal, Fatullayev requested that he be placed in a special prison facility reserved for convicted law enforcement agents, where, he believed, he would be under less risk of being harmed. But, instead, he was moved to Baku's Prison No. 1, which is a facility for regular criminal convicts.

Azerbaijani authorities continue to defy the mandatory ruling by the Strasbourg-based European Court for Human Rights, which declared Fatullayev's imprisonment illegal, and ordered his immediate release. In its March 11 decision, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers called on the Azerbaijani authorities "to remove without further delay" all obstacles to the implementation of the European Court's judgment in Fatullayev's case. The decision followed a CPJ joint mission to Strasbourg with other global press freedom groups, calling on the Council of Europe to take a firmer stance with Azerbaijan.

Source:

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 7th Ave., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
USA
info (@) cpj.org
Phone: +1 212 465 1004
Fax: +1 212 465 9568
 

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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 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 Editor's detention prolonged by two more months 1 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

Authorities violently disperse peaceful rallies 22 May 2012 Opposition activist released from prison 17 May 2012 Journalist says he was tortured in prison 25 April 2012 International NGOs call on president to investigate brutal attack on prominent journalist 19 April 2012 Three journalists detained for 12 hours 28 March 2012 See all alerts: Azerbaijan


 
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