Journalist Sardar Alibeili arrested for disorderly conduct in Azerbaijan

Today, by decision of the Khatai District Court of Baku, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "P.S. Nota" and the on-line edition "www.psnota.com" Sardar Alibeili was arrested for 2 months for hooliganism.

Alibeili was charged under Article 221.3 (hooliganism with use of weapons or objects used as weapons) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

According to Elchin Sadygov, Alibeili's advocate, the journalist was detained on July 31 at the tea-house (cafe). The lawyer told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that policemen forced Alibeili to the police station for "testimony", since a certain Namik Miralioglu complained that Alibeili had beaten him.

The journalist believes it to be a provocation and is convinced that he is persecuted for political reasons because of his recent publications in the social network "facebook.com".

In particular, in one of his comments posted on his personal profile, Alibeili called to bring the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev to responsibility for corruption.

The Institute of Media Rights (IMR) has strongly condemned Alibeili's arrest, treating it as politically motivated.

According to the IMR, currently, the country's jails also contain: Avaz Zeinalov, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Khural"; Faramaz Allakhverdiev (Novruzoglu), an independent journalist; Fuad Guseinov, a journalist from the Udjar District; Hilal Mamedov, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Tolyshi Sado" (Voice of Talysh); Tofig Yagublu, a columnist of the newspaper "Yeni Musavat" (also, a vice-chairman of the "Musavat" Party); Nidjat Aliev, the editor-in-chief of the website "azadxeber.org"; and Araz Guliev, the editor-in-chief of the website "xeber44.com".