"Azadlyg" journalist demands from MIA of Azerbaijan to punish policemen who obstructed work of media

Natig Gyulakhmedoglu, an Azerbaijani oppositional journalist from the newspaper "Azadlyg", has sent an official complaint to the bosses of the local Ministry of Internal Affairs against the actions of the traffic police, who prevented him from his professional work.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 8, in the city of Sumgait, while filming a dispute of a driver with a policeman, Natig Gyulakhmedoglu was detained by use of force and released an hour later. Besides, according to the journalist, the policeman, who detained him, threatened him with "still more trouble."

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, the journalist has sent his complaint to Ramil Usubov, the head of the MIA, by email and officially by ordinary mail on July 9.

The press service of the MIA said they had no information about receipt of a letter from Gyulakhmedoglu. "If a complaint has arrived, a respective investigation will be conducted," said a source from the press service.

In democratic states, information about a violation of journalist's rights by the police is a resonant event that causes an immediate inquiry, said Rashid Gadjily, the director of the Media Rights Institute (MRI).

"Even if the MIA has not received the official complaint, information has been spread by mass media – it's a sufficient reason to launch an inquiry," Mr Gadjily told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.