Court imposes fine on detained correspondent of RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service

On 11 May Azer Ali, correspondent of RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service (Radio Azadliq), was sentenced to a fine of 200 AZN by Imishli District Court under Judge Ulvi Ganbarov, Radio Azadliq correspondent Javanshir Agamaliyev reported from Imishli today (May 11). Agamaliyev added that an appeal will be filed against today’s decision of the court.

Background: On May 10 a group of residents of ‘Depo’ settlement of Imishli district walked towards the local Executive Power to hold a protest against seizure of 85 ha of their grazing field by residents of the village ‘Thirty Two’. A conflict erupted between the demonstrators and the police.  Azer Ali was detained by police officers while filming the process. After being held at the police office for five hours, the journalist was taken to the court, where he was charged under article 310.1 of the Code of Administrative Violations (persistent insubordination which is willful failure to obey a police or a military officer on their duty to maintain public order).