Freelance journalist, Nijat Amiraslanov, sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment
| Publisher | Article 19 |
| Publication Date | 1 June 2017 |
| Cite as | Article 19, Freelance journalist, Nijat Amiraslanov, sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment, 1 June 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5931793b4.html [accessed 1 November 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
ARTICLE 19 submitted the following alert to the Council of Europe's Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists:
On 22 May 2017 freelance journalist, Nijat Amiraslanov, known for his critical reports for local and regional media about poverty in the region and corruption among local officials, was detained in the Gazakh region of north-western Azerbaijan.
On 23 May 2017 Amiraslanov appeared before Gazakh Regional Court, which found him guilty under Article 535.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences ('disobeying police orders') and sentenced him to 30 days' administrative arrest.
According to reports by the Turan news agency in Azerbaijan, human rights activist, Bashir Suleymanly, believes that Amiraslanov was detained as a result of recent posts he has made on social media which are critical of the Azerbaijani authorities. Meydan TV's reporting on the arrest also states that Amiraslanov's parents believe his arrest to be linked to posts on his Facebook page.
