On May 16th journalist of Hafta Ichi newspaper Qalandar Khachinchayli faced pressure from police while performing his job, the journalist has personally told the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS). According to Khachinchayli, it happened while he was filming a conflict between a group of people and the police near Elmlar Akademiyasi metro station.
“The group consisting mainly of women was coming back from the Ministry of Justice on a bus, where they had gone to submit their complaint. The police stopped their bus near the Elmlar Akademiyasi metro station and forced the passengers to get off. The police were asking why they had made that complaint. It caused a clash between the group and the police. I was taking photos of the incident when a police sergeant, by name Fuad, seized my journalist ID and shoved me into a car. They deleted the photos that I had taken and took me to Yasamal District Police Department. Deputy police chief Alakbar Tagiyev told me that I was detained as a suspect for not wearing a press jacket, although I had my journalist ID. Then they apologized and released me” said Khachinchayli.
We called Yasamal District Police Department to get their comments on the issue, but the person, who answered the phone, said he was not aware of the case.