International human rights organizations widely criticized the deportation of Swedish journalists from Azerbaijan on April 18th. Reporters without Borders and the International Committee to Protect Journalists said in their statements that there was no ground for deportation:
“There was no ground for the detention of the journalists, as they weere not filming anything. Azerbaijani authorities are trying to block all possible ways of dissemination of information about protest actions,” said Reporters without Borders.
The International Committee to Protect Journalists also condemned the Azerbaijani authorities for deportation of the journalists from Azerbaijan:
“We condemn the illegal detention and deportation of the Swedish journalists,” the Committee representative Nina Ognianova said. She noted that the journalists had visas and all the necessary legal documents to operate in Azerbaijan.
Three employees from the Swedish state-owned "Channel 1", Charlie Laprevote, My Rohwedder Street, and Charlotte Wijkstrцm were arrested in Sahil Park while they were covering the Public Chamber opposition party protest yesterday. Undercover agents took the journalists to Sabail District Police Department # 39. Following this, they were taken to the Anti Illegal Immigration Department of the Interior Ministry's Passport Registration and Migration Office. The next day, April 18th, they were expelled from the country.
The International Committee to Protect Journalists also condemned the Azerbaijani authorities for deportation of the journalists from Azerbaijan:
“We condemn the illegal detention and deportation of the Swedish journalists,” the Committee representative Nina Ognianova said. She noted that the journalists had visas and all the necessary legal documents to operate in Azerbaijan.
Three employees from the Swedish state-owned "Channel 1", Charlie Laprevote, My Rohwedder Street, and Charlotte Wijkstrцm were arrested in Sahil Park while they were covering the Public Chamber opposition party protest yesterday. Undercover agents took the journalists to Sabail District Police Department # 39. Following this, they were taken to the Anti Illegal Immigration Department of the Interior Ministry's Passport Registration and Migration Office. The next day, April 18th, they were expelled from the country.