Human rights defender Intiqam Aliyev has requested the Prosecutor General’s Office to open a criminal case on the intimidation and illegal interference with the private life of Radio Liberty correspondent in Nakhchivan Yafez Akramoglu (Hasanov), Aliyev told the IRFS today.
Aliyev has got no response to his appeal as yet.
“Akramoglu has been repeatedly intimidated and pressured for reporting on sensitive issues about Nakhchivan. He received threatening mails, phone calls from open and hidden numbers, and was threatened with death. His complaints to relevant authorities were ignored and no action has been taken.”
The appeal also notes the disregard of the journalist’s complaints against Lider TV and Ses online television channel for violation of his right to respect for personal (professional) life guaranteed by both the Azerbaijani Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. As such, the above-mentioned media have divulged the secret tape of his private phone conversation with a Nakhchivan resident. Moreover, the false and smearing rumors spread about Yafez Hasanov serves the purpose to discredit the journalist and the media outlet he represents, to give support to those who intimidate the journalist in order that he stopped writing the truth about what is going on in Nakhchivan.
In view of the intrusion into the journalist’s personal life and the open threats facing him, the Prosecutor General’s Office is called to take necessary steps to find the responsible parties and bring them to justice.
Those who have leaked the journalist’s private phone conversation to Lider TV and Ses TV, those who are responsible for its broadcast on these channels and those making threatening calls to Hasanov have to be identified, underlines the appeal.