Ruling party treats calls to release Mekhman Guseinov as anti-Azerbaijani campaign

Harlem Désir, Representative on Freedom of the Media, has joined the calls for the release of blogger Mekhman Guseinov, who is on hunger strike in prison. Meanwhile, Siyavush Novruzov, the deputy executive secretary of the ruling "Yeni Azerbaijan" Party, has accused "anti-national groups and their foreign patrons" in an attempt to launch an anti-Azerbaijani campaign.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 26, Mekhman Guseinov declared a hunger strike in a penal colony in protest against a new criminal case. The hunger strike severely undermined the blogger's health, noted his brother and his advocate.

On January 9, in his letter to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov, Harlem Désir expressed his serious concern about the health of Mekhman Guseinov, the chair of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS). He called on the Azerbaijani authorities to remove new criminal charges filed against the blogger.

MP Siyavush Novruzov has rejected the statements about the persecution of Mekhman Guseinov for freedom of expression. A person who committed a crime must be punished, the MP has stated.

Attempts of pro-government politicians to present "white as black" are irritating to people, believes Bakhtiyar Gadjiev, the head of the Institute for Public Policy.