Today well-known journalist Mahal Ismayiloglu was called to police department. In the department the police told him that his neighbor Vahid Imanov, who works in the Internal Ministry, filed a complaint about him.
M. Ismayiloglu told the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety that in the complaint it is alleged that he beat his neighbor’s servant for dumping trash in his yard. “On 20 June I told the servant of my neighbor Vahid Imanov not to dump the trash in my yard,” said Ismayiloglu. “But I was told in the Police Department that I allegedly told him not to dump the trash in my yard and then beat him on 21 June.”
The journalist, who was held in the department from noon till 3:00 p.m. today, claims that this kind of complaint stems directly from his articles. “On 7 June in my article entitled ‘Let’s wipe tears’ published in ‘Yeni Musavat’ Newspaper, I mentioned that my neighbor dumps trash in my yard. I believe Imanov’s complaint stems from this article.”
Mahal Ismayiloglu has worked in an official government newspaper, in the Presidential Executive Administration organ “Khalg Gazeti” newspaper, as an editor-in-chief for years. He was dismissed in 2002. He currently writes for “Yeni Musavat” Newspaper.