Dunja Mijatovic: more people arrested in Azerbaijan for freedom of expression

Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, has issued a statement, in which she has expressed her concern about the sentence of Azerbaijani bloggers Abdul Abilov and Omar Mamedov to imprisonment. Dunja Mijatovic has stated that the suppression of freedom of the media and of expression is a serious breach of the country's commitments to OSCE.

"Azerbaijan faces a rapid increase in the number of persons arrested for exercising their right to freedom of expression," this was declared in the statement made by Dunja Mijatovic and released by the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media in the evening of July 7.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that bloggers Abdul Abilov and Omar Mamedov were sentenced to 5.5 and 5 years of imprisonment, respectively, on charges of illegal possession and sale of drugs. The verdict against Abdul Abilov was pronounced on May 27; and the verdict against Omar Mamedov on July 4. Both bloggers are well-known for their critical attitudes towards the policy of the authorities. This was claimed by the Dunja Mijatovic's statement.

Earlier, an official from the press service of the Azerbaijan's Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has denied the political component in the criminal case against Omar Mamedov.

According to the Azerbaijani authorities, the country ensures freedom of the media and Internet users.