Imprisoned Editor-in-chief of Gundelik Azerbaijan and Realniy Azerbaijan newspapers Eynulla Fatullayev sent a comprehensive letter to the European Court of Human Rights and Azerbaijan`s President Ilham Aliyev.
The relatives of the editor-in-chief presented a copy of the letter to Turan Information Agency. The letter begins with introduction stating that this it is an addition to his appeal and explanation of main reasons of his arrest. In his letter E.Fatullayev gave accounts regarding the murder of Monitor Journal Editor-in-chief Elmar Huseynov.
He wrote that the National Security Ministry not only participated in the murder of Monitor Journal Editor-in-chief Elmar Huseynov, but also went through extensive preparations to commit this grave crime at a severe level. Ministry Colonel, Anti-terror Center Deputy Chief Akif Chovdarov implemented this, and other crimes by the order of his leadership.
Fatullayev notes in his letter that this colonel had been looking for the executors of this crime for a long time. He appealed to the “criminal authority” who is held in Prison #8 at the end of 2004 (His name is not given).
“He was offered to organize the murder of Elmar Huseynov instead of receiving a monetary award; however, the criminal refused it. Then Chovdarov trusted the implementation of the murder to Georgian citizen Serko Darvishev. This criminal group which involved Teymuraz Aliyev and Tahir Khubanov murdered the journalist on 2 March, 2005,” stated Fatullayev, who wrote that he was given all this information by the “criminal authority.” Fatullayev added that he visited this person in prison together with his lawyer in February, 2007. Up to that point, the “authority” called Fatullayev and gave information regarding provocations of special services. Fatullayev gave a bribe to enter the prison and used false documents.
However, the National Security Ministry found out about the visit of the journalist to the prison and meeting with this person. Fatullayev said that special services were told this information by one of editors-in-chief that received the facts given by the “criminal authority.” Fatullayev believes that the main reason of his arrest and prosecution against him was his plan to publish this information in Realniy Azerbaijan newspaper.
He claims in his letter that the leadership of the National Security Ministry threatened him several times and demanded that he not write any information regarding the involvement of law enforcement organs in the murder of Elmar Huseynov, and they warned him regarding the results. However, he ignored these demands and he was convicted under trumped-up charges of threatening terror in 2007.
Chovdarov visited Fatullayev in the Investigative Prison of NSM in June, 2007, and mentioned that he participated in the organizing of Elmar Huseynov’s murder because of Huseynov’s critical articles against government. Fatullayev doesn’t give any evidence to confirm what is mentioned above.
The National Security Ministry Public Relations Center Head Arif Babayev told Turan Information Agency that Fatullayev`s claims are “fabrication and nonsense.” According to Babayev, Fatullayev is not based on any fact and this way it is possible to prosecute any person in the murder of Elmar Huseynov.
Babayev said that investigation is taking necessary measures to solve the murder of Elmar Huseynov.
In the appeal, Eynulla Fatullayev said that he investigated Elmar Huseynov’s murder and came to the conclusion that the NSM officers are behind the murder. He emphasized that he was arrested for investigating this murder.
Eynulla Fatullayev was sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment on 21 April 2007 for insulting honor and dignity. Later he was convicted under articles 214.1 (threatening terror), 283.2.2 (incitement of ethnic/national, social or religious hatred abusing authority), and 213.2.2 (tax evasion) of the Criminal Code and was sentenced to 8.5 years of imprisonment on 30 October 2007. Prior to the new charge against him, Fatullayev was serving his sentence in prison #12.
On 29 December, 0.223 grams heroin was found on Fatullayev. Eynulla Fatullayev and his lawyer assess this incident as an operation set-up to prevent the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the journalist in the near future. A criminal case was opened against Fatullayev in the Garadag District Investigative Department under article 234.1 of the Criminal Code (Illegal purchase or storage without a purpose of selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption) and he was transferred to the Baku Investigative Prison #2 on 2 January.
A criminal case was opened regarding the murder of Elmar Huseynov, who was killed on 2 March, 2005, at evening hours in front of his apartment. However, the executors and people behind his murder have not been found to this day.
Realniy Azerbaijan has been published as weekly newspaper, and Gundelik Azerbaijan was published as a daily newspaper since 2005. Eynulla Fatullayev established the newspapers and was the editor-in-chief of both publications. The newspapers ceased their activity after the arrest of the editor-in-chief in 2007.
He wrote that the National Security Ministry not only participated in the murder of Monitor Journal Editor-in-chief Elmar Huseynov, but also went through extensive preparations to commit this grave crime at a severe level. Ministry Colonel, Anti-terror Center Deputy Chief Akif Chovdarov implemented this, and other crimes by the order of his leadership.
Fatullayev notes in his letter that this colonel had been looking for the executors of this crime for a long time. He appealed to the “criminal authority” who is held in Prison #8 at the end of 2004 (His name is not given).
“He was offered to organize the murder of Elmar Huseynov instead of receiving a monetary award; however, the criminal refused it. Then Chovdarov trusted the implementation of the murder to Georgian citizen Serko Darvishev. This criminal group which involved Teymuraz Aliyev and Tahir Khubanov murdered the journalist on 2 March, 2005,” stated Fatullayev, who wrote that he was given all this information by the “criminal authority.” Fatullayev added that he visited this person in prison together with his lawyer in February, 2007. Up to that point, the “authority” called Fatullayev and gave information regarding provocations of special services. Fatullayev gave a bribe to enter the prison and used false documents.
However, the National Security Ministry found out about the visit of the journalist to the prison and meeting with this person. Fatullayev said that special services were told this information by one of editors-in-chief that received the facts given by the “criminal authority.” Fatullayev believes that the main reason of his arrest and prosecution against him was his plan to publish this information in Realniy Azerbaijan newspaper.
He claims in his letter that the leadership of the National Security Ministry threatened him several times and demanded that he not write any information regarding the involvement of law enforcement organs in the murder of Elmar Huseynov, and they warned him regarding the results. However, he ignored these demands and he was convicted under trumped-up charges of threatening terror in 2007.
Chovdarov visited Fatullayev in the Investigative Prison of NSM in June, 2007, and mentioned that he participated in the organizing of Elmar Huseynov’s murder because of Huseynov’s critical articles against government. Fatullayev doesn’t give any evidence to confirm what is mentioned above.
The National Security Ministry Public Relations Center Head Arif Babayev told Turan Information Agency that Fatullayev`s claims are “fabrication and nonsense.” According to Babayev, Fatullayev is not based on any fact and this way it is possible to prosecute any person in the murder of Elmar Huseynov.
Babayev said that investigation is taking necessary measures to solve the murder of Elmar Huseynov.
In the appeal, Eynulla Fatullayev said that he investigated Elmar Huseynov’s murder and came to the conclusion that the NSM officers are behind the murder. He emphasized that he was arrested for investigating this murder.
Eynulla Fatullayev was sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment on 21 April 2007 for insulting honor and dignity. Later he was convicted under articles 214.1 (threatening terror), 283.2.2 (incitement of ethnic/national, social or religious hatred abusing authority), and 213.2.2 (tax evasion) of the Criminal Code and was sentenced to 8.5 years of imprisonment on 30 October 2007. Prior to the new charge against him, Fatullayev was serving his sentence in prison #12.
On 29 December, 0.223 grams heroin was found on Fatullayev. Eynulla Fatullayev and his lawyer assess this incident as an operation set-up to prevent the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the journalist in the near future. A criminal case was opened against Fatullayev in the Garadag District Investigative Department under article 234.1 of the Criminal Code (Illegal purchase or storage without a purpose of selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption) and he was transferred to the Baku Investigative Prison #2 on 2 January.
A criminal case was opened regarding the murder of Elmar Huseynov, who was killed on 2 March, 2005, at evening hours in front of his apartment. However, the executors and people behind his murder have not been found to this day.
Realniy Azerbaijan has been published as weekly newspaper, and Gundelik Azerbaijan was published as a daily newspaper since 2005. Eynulla Fatullayev established the newspapers and was the editor-in-chief of both publications. The newspapers ceased their activity after the arrest of the editor-in-chief in 2007.