Index on Censorship’s Monitoring and Advocating for Media Freedom project tracks press freedom violations in five countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. Learn more.

Journalist detained for high treason

12 June 2019 – Journalist Polad Aslanov, chief editor of independent news websites Xeberman and Press-az was arrested on charges of high treason according to his lawyer Elchin Sadigov, Azerbaijan Service for Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty reported.

The journalist is facing a life sentence if found guilty. 

Update:

14 June 2019 – An Azerbaijani court ruled that journalist Polad Aslanov would remain in detention, sentencing him to four months in pretrial detention pending an investigation. 

24 June 2019 – An appeals court ruled against releasing Polad Aslanov despite the journalist’s plea of innocence,  independent Meydan TV reported.  

Links: 

http://aws-www.meydan.tv/az/article/ba-redaktorun-apelyasiya-ikayti-tmin-edilmyib/?ref=search

https://www.azadliq.org/a/polad-aslanov-4-ayl%C4%B1q-h%C9%99bs-edilib/29999956.html

https://www.amerikaninsesi.org/a/m%C9%99hk%C9%99m%C9%99-ba%C5%9F-redaktor-bar%C9%99d%C9%99-d%C3%B6rd-ay-h%C9%99bs-q%C9%99timkan-t%C9%99dbiri-se%C3%A7ib-/4960387.html

Categories: Arrest/detention/interrogation; Criminal charges/fines/sentences; Subpoena/court order/lawsuits; Legal measures 

Sources of violation: Police/state security; Government/state agency/public officials/political party; Court/judicial

Journalist remains on travel ban

7 June 2019 – Journalist Shohvalad Chobanoglu was denied his request to remove a travel ban,  online news site Abzas reported. 

Chobanoglu has been under a travel ban, which prevents him from leaving the country, since 2014. Chobanoglu appealed to the prosecutors office to consider removing his ban following a series of travel ban removals affecting other journalists, 

However, prosecutors said, they will add the journalist’s request to the criminal case against him and respond at a later time. Chobanoglu considers this as a “no”, given he has submitted similar requests before, and was given the same response. 

According to an independent non-governmental organisation Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center there are currently 30 representatives of Azerbaijani civil society, including journalists, facing a travel ban. 

Links: https://smdtaz.org/en/siyasi-motivli-s%C9%99yah%C9%99t-qadagalari/

https://www.abzas.org/2019/06/prokurorluq-jurnalistin-olk%C9%99d%C9%99n-cixisina-qadagani-goturm%C9%99kd%C9%99n-imtina-edib/

https://www.azadliq.info/227669.html

Categories: Criminal charges/fines/sentences; Intimidation; Subpoena/court order/lawsuits; 

Sources of violation: Police/state security; Government/state agency/public official; Court/judicial;