Journalistic organizations call for release of Polad Aslanov

Azerbaijani journalist Polad Aslanov, who continues his hunger strike in prison, is being subjected to moral and psychological pressure, his spouse says. International journalistic organizations call for the release of the imprisoned journalist.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Polad Aslanov, the editor-in-chief of the online editions “xeberman.com” and “press-az.com”, demands a consideration of his case. Warders took away cigarettes and water from Polad Aslanov to force him to end his hunger strike, his wife states. On January 10, she held a protest action near the building of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan.

Together with an advocate, Gyulmira Aslanova, a spouse of journalist Polad Aslanov, pointed out numerous violations of her husband’s rights and the lack of evidence of his guilt under Article “High Treason”.

Gyulmira Aslanova visited her husband in prison and said that he complained to her about moral and psychological pressure on him.

The international journalistic organizations “Reporters Without Borders” and the Committee to Protect Journalists reacted to Polad Aslanov’s hunger strike.

The “Reporters Without Borders” pointed out that Polad Aslanov was sentenced to 16 years of imprisonment “on a trumped-up charge,” but his appeal against the sentence has yet to be considered by the Supreme Court (SC).

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also condemned the Supreme Court’s delay in considering the journalist’s appeal.

Polad Aslanov is being persecuted for his journalistic activities, notes Mekhman Khuseinov, the chairman of the board of the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS).

“Of course, in the realities of our country, it is unlikely that Polad Aslanov will be acquitted. But it is possible that the punishment will be mitigated and the real term of imprisonment may be replaced with a suspended sentence. There was a precedent when the prison sentence was cancelled and replaced with a suspended sentence for journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov, also accused of high treason,” Mekhman Khuseinov added.