One more attempt of journalists to conduct an unauthorized picket was cruelly dispersed by police. The reporters were protesting the authorities’ attempt to evict Azadlig daily from its building and other media organizations located in the same building. About 70 people were detained during the action of protest. Some of them were released after fines and warnings. (16-NOV-06)

Written by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku, on the basis of materials from Turan Info Agency, Yeni Musavat, Azadlig , IRFS; photo from Yeni Musavat.

Eight people were sentenced to 15 days of imprisonment and two people were sentenced to 10 days of imprisonment. Two women, Shaker Iskenderli and Irada Huseynova, were sentenced to five and four days respectively.

Resolution of the picket
On their way journalists attempted to read out the resolution of the picket,  but Agshin Zeynalov, former press officer of Baku Police Department, ripped it  out of the hands of Rey Kerimoglu, Yeni Musavat daily’s correspondent. The resolution of the picket contained the call to the democratic society “not to leave the free press alone with this antidemocratic and antihumane regime”. The protesters demanded to “put an end to the campaign on eliminating the free press”.

Protest actions
The protesters said that it is planned to hold the actions of protest until authorities stop actions aimed at suffocation of free press. Crimes like the kidnapping and brutal beating of journalist Bahaddin Khaziyev, unclosed murder of the editor of Monitor magazine Elmar Huseynov, and other acts of terrorism against journalist, all of which remain unsolved, give a ground to state that all these crimes were ordered by authorities.