International human rights organizations call Azerbaijan to release convicted bloggers

The international human rights organizations "Committee to Protection Journalists", Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have made statements on the refusal of the Baku Appeal Court to cancel the verdict to bloggers Adnan Gadjizade and Emin Milli, convicted to 2 and 2.5 years of imprisonment respectively.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 10 the Baku Appeal Court, chaired by Gail Mamedov, upheld the verdict of the court of the first instance to the bloggers Adnan Gadjizade and Emin Milli.

The international Committee to Protection Journalists (CPJ) located in New York made a statement calling the authorities of Azerbaijan to immediately release the convicted bloggers and learn to patiently accept criticism in their address.

"Although the charges and the litigation that followed were ridiculous to the point of absurdity, there's nothing comical in imprisonment of our colleagues," said Ms Ognyanova. 

The international Human Rights Watch has also stated that the bloggers Adnan Gadjizade and Emin Milli convicted in Azerbaijan should be immediately released.

Giorgiy Nodiya, a representative of this organization, said that the bloggers' case had been staged "with the aim to shut up the voice of young people who criticize corruption."

Andrea Huber, deputy director of the programmes for Europe and Asia of the Amnesty International, has stated that the bloggers "fell victims of the repressive machine of the authorities", which try to eliminate criticism in their address in this manner.

So far, the authorities of Azerbaijan made no comments on the decision of the Baku Appeal Court in relation to bloggers. The addresses of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent for comments on the occasion of the situation with approval of the verdict to bloggers to the press services of the Administration of the President and the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan remained unanswered.

See earlier reports: "Azerbaijani Appeal Court upholds verdict to bloggers," "Azerbaijan: challenge of the court petitioned by bloggers' advocates rejected," "In Azerbaijan, bloggers' advocates challenge the bench."