On 13 March, threatening phone calls were made from a mobile telephone to “Azadlig” Newspaper’s editorial office and the newspaper’s editorial staff. “Azadlig” Newspaper Director Azer Ahmedov reported this to the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety. According to Ahmedov, these calls stem from the article “AZTV Producers Divided” that was published in the 13 March edition of “Azadlig” Newspaper.
However, yesterday ‘Akinchi’ Production Director Shakir Eminbeyli, who was not mentioned in the article ‘AZTV Producers Divided,’ came to the editorial office and asked who wrote the article. When he did receive an answer, he cursed the author and publishers of the article, and called the editorial office to a showdown.
To clarify this matter, IRFS contacted Sh. Ehimbeyli. According to him, although the article was not about him, it does refer to a company that he used to work for. Eminbeyli said that ‘Akinchi’ is not a production company, but rather a media group, and also noted that this entity is a separate entity from AZTV. According to Sh. Eminbeyli, he has not worked for ‘Akinchi’ Production since he was appointed AZTV’s head producer. Eminbeyli also noted that he did not to “Azadlig” Newspaper as a representative of AZTV. “I went to express my protest as regular citizens Shakir Eminbeyli and I did not call anyone to a showdown,” said Eminbeyli. “I simply wanted to speak to Azer Ahmedov on the street, not in the editorial office.”
To clarify this matter, IRFS contacted Sh. Ehimbeyli. According to him, although the article was not about him, it does refer to a company that he used to work for. Eminbeyli said that ‘Akinchi’ is not a production company, but rather a media group, and also noted that this entity is a separate entity from AZTV. According to Sh. Eminbeyli, he has not worked for ‘Akinchi’ Production since he was appointed AZTV’s head producer. Eminbeyli also noted that he did not to “Azadlig” Newspaper as a representative of AZTV. “I went to express my protest as regular citizens Shakir Eminbeyli and I did not call anyone to a showdown,” said Eminbeyli. “I simply wanted to speak to Azer Ahmedov on the street, not in the editorial office.”