Amnesty International is concerned with stronger pressure on journalists

Public defenders of satirical journalist Sakit Zakhidov (Mirza Sakit), arrested in Azerbaijan, continue to inform the diplomatic corps on the events around the criminal case in relation to the journalist. Yesterday, July 6, Ganimat Zakhidov, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Azadlyg," and Emin Guseinov, the chairman of the Committee for defence of the rights of Mirza Sakit, met the Ambassador of Norway Mr. Steinar Gill and the head of public relations department of the US Embassy Mr. Jonathan Henick.

At the meeting at the Embassy of Norway, G. Zakhidov and E. Guseinov informed Mr. Gill on the details of the criminal case, which prove the fabricated nature of accusations against the journalist. In his turn, S. Gill noted that the Embassy of Norway is concerned with the arrest of S. Zakhidov, and with previous cases of violence against journalists.

He told also that recently many international organizations and diplomatic missions are concerned, to this or that extent, with the freedom of press in Azerbaijan. In conclusion, S. Gill noted that the Embassy of Norway would attentively trace the situation around the arrest of Mirza Sakit.

At the meeting in the office of the newspaper "Azadlyg" of G. Zakhidov and E. Guseinov with the head of public relations department of the US Embassy Mr. J. Henick the issues were touched upon related to the arrest of S. Zakhidov, and the facts of violation against journalists during the last 3 months. The American diplomat was interested in the facts of violation in relation to G. Zakhidov himself (the incident took place in February 2005), a murder attempt of Fikret Guseinli, a worker of the newspaper "Azadlyg," that was accomplished on March 6, 2006, an attempt on the life of Bakhaddin Khaziev, editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Bizim Jol", committed on May 19, 2006. In the course of the talk J. Henick said that after the murder of Elmar Guseinov, editor-in-chief of the magazine "Monitor," and more frequent cases of violence against journalists, the resulting atmosphere of pressure may tell badly on the work mass media workers.

At the end of the meeting J. Henick stressed that the US Embassy will closely watch the developing situation around the arrest of the journalist.

We remind you that Zakhidov was detained on June 23. According to the police, at detention the journalist had some 10 grams of heroine on him. A criminal case was initiated on the fact according to Article 234.4.3 of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic (purchase of drugs in especially big amount with the aim of sale). He is under threat of up to 12 years of imprisonment. At the moment, he is kept at the pre-trial prison of the Narimanovskiy District.

Meanwhile, the human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) is preparing a special portal dedicated to pressure on journalists and freedom of speech in Azerbaijan. It was declared by Laurence Broers, representative of the organization for Azerbaijan yesterday at the meeting with Leila Junus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), "Zerkalo" (Mirror) wrote.

In the course of the meeting, the discussed the political persecutions of the latest months in relation to journalists, and in particular, the arrest of S. Zakhidov.

Mr. Broers was also presented with a complete text of indictment on the case of the leaders of the "Eni Fikir" and, as they informed at the IPD, "all the information on falsified accusations against the activists of this youth movement." Ms. L. Junus also transferred to the AI all the documents on the persons arrested and convicted as a result of parliamentary elections of 2006.

In the nearest time, the Amnesty International will hold an "emergency action" in connection with the "prisoners of conscience" that appeared in Azerbaijan, the "Turan" informs.