On May 20 from 9 p.m. and midnight workers from the Ministry of Emergency Situations carried out an operation to officially remove all employees from the office of Realny and Gundalik Azerbaycan Newspaper and seal the facility shut. Eynulla Fatullayev, the founder and the chief editor of both of these papers who is already serving a 2.5 prison sentence since 20 April 2007, as there was announced that a criminal case for terrorism against him. (22-MAY-07)

Written by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku on the basis of materials from IRFS, Turan News Agency, Yeni Musavat; photos from Yeni Musavat, IRFS

Background
Being the most popular newspapers, Realny Azerbycan is a weekly Russian language analytical newspaper that has a circulation of about 20,000; Gundalik Azerbaycan is a daily Azerbaijani language newspaper that has a circulation of about 6,000. The newspapers’ creator, Eynulla Fatullayev was imprisoned one month ago for 2.5 years. Prior to his work with “Realny Azerbaycan” and Gundalik Azerbaycan” newspapers, Fatullayev was also the cofounder of Monitor Magazine, which was shutdown after the murder of chief editor Elmar Huseynov. The murderers of Huseynov remain at large, and the government has made it clear through its actions that solving this murder is not interesting to it. This has led society to conclude that the government itself is behind Huseynov’s murder.

Governmental actions
Real-Az-1The Ministry of Emergency Situations identified structural deficiencies in a newly built 13-storey building exactly were the office of Realny and Gundalik Azerbaycan newspapers is located. It was used as a reason, or rather a pretext, to evict the newspapers from their location.

Later, the employees of the Ministry of National Security also searched the editorial offices Realny Azerbaycan and Gundalik Azerbaycan newspapers as well as the apartment of imprisoned Realny Azerbaycan Chief Editor Eynulla Fatullayev situated at 16 Mireli Gashkay Street. Upon conclusion of the search in the office, 21 computer processors were confiscated and the editorial office’s doors were once again sealed shut. It is particularly interesting that soldiers from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, not the National Security Ministry took away the computer processors. According to National Security Ministry officials, both of these searches were the result of a criminal case instituted for terrorism.    

Real-Az-3Human rights activists, journalists, representatives from the diplomatic corps and the Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety were on hand to observe the process. Despite of their actions, the process could not be prevented. On the right, the human rights defender Zaliha Tahirova (Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan) is forced by policeman to leave the place by taxi.

    
 
OSCE
Miklos-Haraszti-OSCEThe OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti (on the right), expressed concern over the eviction of the country’s two main independent newspapers from their premises, and new procedures against their imprisoned editor, Eynulla Fatullayev. “The eviction paralyses Azerbaijan’s largest and most popular newspapers, in a clear attempt to fully silence them. This is part of an ongoing campaign to do away with independent journalism,” said Haraszti.

He noted the evacuating authorities cited alleged danger from “structural deficiencies” in the 13-storey building, but had evicted no other tenants.

“I have also received worrying news that since the eviction the newspapers’ servers and archives are being searched by national security personnel. All this represents an openly oppressive stance, going beyond the previously seen discriminatory treatment of independent media,” Haraszti added.

“I call on the authorities to stop persecuting the remaining free press in Azerbaijan and ensure that Realniy Azerbaijan and Gundalik Azarbaycan can resume their work,” said Haraszti.