Today, 21 November, the staff from “Ideal” Newspaper and family members of the newspaper’s founder Nazim Guliyev were supposed to conduct a press conference in the press center of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety.
B. Guliyev first explained the reason why they did not come to the press conference saying that newspaper employees are facing pressure and have been told not to leave home. Although B.Guliyev did not reveal who is creating the pressure, he said, “The staff was told that if they conduct a press conference they will all be arrested as members of an organized criminal group including Nazim Guliyev.”
Then B. Guliyev appealed to the president and mass media representatives. “As a citizen, I am appealing to the president, first lady Mehriban Aliyeva and mass media institutions to prevent this kind of injustice,” said Guliyev. “The pre-trial detention verdict issued for Nazim Guliyev is groundless. As a founder, he does not interfere with articles in the newspaper. Nazim Guliyev’s family and relatives are under pressure. We receive some calls stating that they killed Nazim and the same fate is waiting others. And they call and tell us ‘you know his place’. All our friends are facing pressure. My nephew (sister’s son) has been detained for ‘banditism-terrorism’ charges. He was released yesterday evening. The editorial office’s guard has also been detained on the same charge. In addition, several of my elatives have been detained.”
B.Guliyev stated that “Ideal” Newspaper has already ceased its publication as a result of pressure.
During a hearing conducted in the Nasimi District Court under the chairmanship of Elmar Karimov on the lawsuit of Sabira Mahmudova against "Ideal" Newspaper Chief Editor Ali Hasanov and founder Nazim Guliyev, a decision was issued to sentence Ali Hasanov to six months of pre-trial detention. The lawsuit was filed in special order (i.e. could lead to the arrest of the defendants).
On 1 November a decision was issued by the Nasimi District court to sentence Nazim Guliyev to pre-trial detention. Although Guliyev is a wanted person, he remains at large.