The Azerbaijani authorities should release journalist Avaz Zeynally and lawyer Elchin Sadigov and cancel the charges against them. This was announced on Monday by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Charges of bribery of journalist Avaz Zeynally, who criticizes the authorities and had earlier been convicted, and lawyer Elchin Sadygov, who protects journalists from state repression, are based on allegations of pro-government media, said Gulnoza Said, coordinator of CPJ programs for Europe and Central Asia.
“The Azerbaijani authorities should release Zeynally and Sadigov, cancel the charges against them and refrain from arresting press representatives and their lawyers in retaliation for their work,” she said.
On September 11, the Binagadi district court of Baku arrested Avaz Zeynalli and Elchin Sadigov for 4 months. They are charged under the Articles 311.3.3 and 32.5, 311 (assistance in receiving large-scale bribes) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. However, Zeynally and Sadigov denied the charges against them.