His Excellency Heydar Aliyev
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Office of the President
19 Istiqlaiyyat St
Azerbaijan
Fax: +994 12 92 06 25
Vienna, 30 July 2003
Your Excellency,
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 115 countries, is deeply concerned about the detention of editors from several leading newspapers, news agencies, and journalism organizations that occurred in Azerbaijan on 26 July.
Based on information provided to IPI, Rauf Arifoglu, editor-in-chief of Yeni Musavat, Aflatun Amashov, head of the Press Council, Arif Aliyev, head of the journalists’ union Yeni Nasil and president of the Baku Press Club, Mehman Aliyev, head of Turan Information Agency, Gunduz Tahirli, a Member of Press Council, Asif Marzili, editor-in-chief of Tezadlar weekly, and Elkhan Hassanli and Safar Hummatov of Yeni Musavat were taken into custody by police near Arifoglu’s residence as they were leaving to go to the Press Club. Police gave no reason for the detentions in which the journalists’ cars were flagged down and they were reportedly manhandled.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs about the incident, the detainees had violated traffic laws and insulted and attacked the police. The detainees, however, claim that the Ministry’s statement is false and that their arrests were a well-planned operation. Indeed, the journalists claim that the police were setting up an ambush for Arifoglu near his residence.
On the subject of his own treatment, Arifoglu claims that he is being illegally prosecuted for his critical editorials on the Azerbaijan situation published in Yeni Musavat. Worryingly, acts of violence against opposition media outlets and journalists are on the rise as the country draws nearer to the presidential elections planned for 15 October.
IPI believes that an independent media is crucial to a fair and transparent election and that journalists must be able to seek receive and impart information of general public interest without fear of obstacles or detrimental consequences.
IPI would also remind you that attacks or restrictions on the media will only serve to impair its ability to provide timely and objective information to Azerbaijan’s citizens, and is a violation of Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
With the above in mind, IPI condemns this latest violation of the freedom of the press and calls on the Azeri government to investigate this incident and to ensure that Azerbaijan’s journalists are allowed to carry out their profession without further harassment.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Johann P. Fritz
Director
