"Azadlyg" condemns policemen for using force against journalist

Law enforcers knocked the journalist, Tezekhan Miralamli, down to the ground, when activists were squeezed away from the courthouse during the trial of opposition activist Ruslan Amirli, the "Azadlyg" newspaper has informed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 11, a court in Baku found Ruslan Amirli, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), guilty of petty hooliganism and disobeying the police; he was sentenced to 30 days of administrative arrest. Amirli insists on his innocence.

When policemen were ousting activists and journalists from the building of the Yasamal District Court of Baku, Tezekhan Miralamli, an "Azadlyg" employee, protested against interference with his professional activities and restrictions imposed on his freedom of travel; policemen used force in response, says the statement posted on the newspaper's Facebook page: "Our employee fell down from a blow and received a minor bodily injury."

The newspaper has condemned the use of force against journalists and activists and demanded to punish the law enforcers involved. "This incident eloquently shows the depressing state of the freedoms of speech and assembly in Azerbaijan. Policemen's physical pressure on the journalists performing their professional duties is a gross violation of the law and abuse of authorities," the statement says.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 11, 2019 at 10:53 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.