On September 19th the relatives and the lawyer of the jailed journalist Parviz Hashimli, who is the associate of the newspaper “Bizim Yol”, head of the website “moderator.az” and “Civil and Political Rights Defense Center” held a press conference at the media center of the Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety.
In his speech at the conference journalist’s father Kamran Hashimov stated that his son isn’t guilty and hasn’t done anything against the government.
The father said that the Ministry of the National Security (MNS) was trying coax Hashimov into collaboration. “He was pressured to cooperate with them. But my son rejected all the offers. Parviz was pressured to give statements against the chairman of the Front Party Ali Karimli. He didn’t accept it and was arrested because of that”, said Kamran Hashimov.
Journalist’s wife Ilaha Hashimova said that the MNS officers made an assault to the house. According to her, the presence of any weaponry in their house is out of question.
“More than 20 officers of MNS assaulted our house. They didn’t present a court decision. They entered the house breaking the bars of our house’s window. As soon as they entered the yard, they neutralized the security cameras installed there. Then, they started the search without my consent, without presenting the court decision, and not asking me anything. They then said that they supposedly found a pistol under the sofa near my child’s toy. There were small hand grenades wrapped into papers in the sac the officers found from the pantry in the yard. These all were put by the MNS officers. They didn’t show me the protocol they made”, said journalist’s wife.
According to the lawyer Elchin Sadigov, Parviz Hashimli’s arrest is illegal, and the charges he is sued with have no basis.
“Arresting a person with one person’s command is unlawfulness. Tevekkul Qurbanli said that 6 Makarov pistols and 40 bullets were brought from Iran to be delivered to him. Parviz Hashimli doesn’t know that person and hasn’t seen him even once”, said the lawyer.
Journalist’s Lawyer Elchin Sadigov also said that the conduction of the investigation by the MNS, illegal invasion of his house under the name of investigation, violation of the legislative requirements during the searches conducted in his house and office, lack of any explanation given to the journalist about the reason of his detention, the injury the journalist received as a result of his hand being handcuffed from behind, the sac over his head when he was brought to the court were serious violations of law, and the lawyer will apply to the court against those violations.
The lawyer added that the Hashimli wants to meet the Commissioner for Human Rights Elmira Suleymanova and Chairman of the Committee against Torture Elchin Behbudov.
The head of the Front Party’s press service Natig Adilov said that the Front Party supports Hashimli and his family.
“Even in the most difficult days he did not change his beliefs. The arrest of Parviz Hashimli is a political order. This arrest is a provocation not only against Parviz Hashimli, but against the Popular Front and its leader Ali Kerimli”, he noted.
Kamran Hashimov noted that Azerbaijan is the only country where officers give false information to the president.