Azerbaijani authorities expel three Swedish journalists

The three Swedish journalists were detained in Baku on Sunday, April 17, when they watched the protest of the opposition. The Azerbaijani State Migration Service told them that they had violated the visa regime.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that My Roderstrit, Sharlotta Uijkstrom and Charly Latravot were detained on Sunday, April 17, in the Sakhil Park. They were taken to the 39th division of the Sabail District Police Department and in the evening brought to the State Migration Service (SMS).

"We were told that we would be deported from the country by taking to the airport and putting to the Baku-Istanbul flight at 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. Moscow time)," said My Roderstrit.

Roderstrit, Uijkstrom and their assistant Latravot arrived in Baku to film a documentary for the First National Channel of the Swedish television. "We arrived in Baku on April 15 intending to make a film about human rights in Azerbaijan. Before my arrival I asked the Ministries of Internal and Foreign Affairs to let officials from there to give us interviews for this film," noted the journalist.

According to her story, the SMS, where the Swedish journalists were kept for 24 hours, move no official accusations; all the claims were made orally and without any concrete facts. "You have broken the visa regime, and that's it," the journalist quoted the SMS official.

Earlier, the authorities had accused the journalists that they were filming the opposition action, while having no accreditation. However, the journalists, as they said, made no filming but just watched the progress of the action.

Then, accompanied by officials from the SMS, the journalists made their way to the hotel to pick up their belongings; from there they will be delivered to the airport.

The SMS, having confirmed the information about deportation of Swedish journalists, however, refused to comment on the reasons. The press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also refused to comment, referring to "absence of information."

Lars Haunsen, an employee of the Norwegian Embassy, who is representing the interests of Sweden in Azerbaijan, said that "on Tuesday, April 19, the Embassy will officially apply to the relevant authorities of Azerbaijan with a request to clarify the reasons for deportation of the Swedish journalists." According to his story, he will be able to comment on the situation only after receiving an official answer from the Azerbaijani party.

"This is the first case in the history of independent Azerbaijan, when the authorities expel journalists, who have visas, out of the country," said the "Turan" Agency.

Alesker Mamedli, an independent expert in the field of the media law, said, when commenting on the incident, that according to Article 50 of the Constitution of Azerbaijan, "everyone has the right to gather information."

According to Mr Mamedli, there were no grounds for deportation of the Swedish journalists, because they had visas. According to the expert, even if the journalists had no accreditation, this was also no ground for deportation.

The Swedish journalists reported that they had arrived in Baku on Friday, April 15, in the evening, and, since Saturday and Sunday are days-off, they planned to seek accreditation today. However, before their arrival in Baku, when receiving visas, they informed the embassy and then the Foreign Ministry about their intention to make a film in Azerbaijan about human rights.

Earlier, Aflatun Amashev, head of the Press Council, said in his comment on the detention of the Swedish journalists that "journalists should respect the rules and receive accreditation."

In his turn, Emin Guseinov, Director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), has resolutely condemned the detention of journalists. "This is a flagrant violation of the freedom of press and the freedom of information, guaranteed by the laws of Azerbaijan and international conventions," said Guseinov. According to his story, such actions disgrace Azerbaijan in the international arena.