On 4 April Emin Fastullayev visited his son, imprisoned Editor-in-Chief of "Gundelik Azerbayjan" and "Realny Azerbayjan" Newspapers Eynulla Fatullayev in Prison #12.
Emin Fatullayev told this to the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety.
Eynulla’s situation is normal and he does not have any complaints, according to Emin Fatullayev. On 2 April, the special department of Prison #12 submitted the appeal of the Supreme Court addressed to Eynulla Fatullayev to him, said Emin Fatullayev.
Citing appeals addressed to the president by international governmental organizations to free E. Fatullayev immediately, Supreme Court Administration Head Bashir Abdullayev invited the journalist to appeal to the plenum of the Supreme Court (Date of the letter – 16.03.2009, #3rd 78/09). However, Eynulla Fatullayev refused this offer because he has sent an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The case is currently at the level of communication between the ECHR and the government.
In February of 2008, the Supreme Court sent offers and appeals of this kind to Fatullayev, but the imprisoned journalist stated that he was waiting for the decision of the European Court of Human Rights and did not see any need for extraordinary court instances since local courts operate under political orders.
Emin Fatullayev said that “Hoch Foundation” organization has appealed to President Ilham Aliyev asking him to release Eynulla Fatullayev immediately because the journalist has been kept in prison on spurious charges.
According to Emin Fatullayev, support letters keep coming from well-known western universities and organizations. Last week Eynulla Fatullayev received around sixty support letters from people from the “School of Economics,” “Merchant Taylors School,” “Leicester University,” and “Amnesty International.”
"Gundelik Azerbayjan" and "Realny Azerbayjan" newspapers' Editor-in-Chief 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.