German rights defenders stop deportation of Azerbaijani journalist

After deportation from Germany, the activist, Vugar Niftiev, can be arrested in Azerbaijan, like the journalist Afghan Mukhtarly, the AND (For Democracy in Azerbaijan), organization of Azerbaijani political emigrants in Europe, has stated. They managed to stop his deportation only after the intervention of human rights defenders and a protest action at the Dusseldorf Airport.

On June 11, Vugar Niftiev, an AND activist and an employee of the "Turan" TV Channel broadcasting from Strasbourg, was detained in Germany.

"German authorities were notified that Niftiev's deportation to Azerbaijan could cause an international scandal," the statement says.

AND activists and other emigrants held a rally at Dusseldorf Airport, "calling on Azerbaijani authorities to stop persecuting political emigrants and oppositionists."

"These efforts brought fruit: at the last moment, Niftiev was taken off the plane and released; his deportation was postponed," said Ganimat Zakhid, an AND co-chair and the head of the "Turan" TV.

He expressed the hope that German authorities would grant Niftiev refugee status, or let him travel to another European country where he could receive asylum.

Niftiev was a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) and was forced to leave Azerbaijan in 2014, Gezyal Bairamly, a deputy chair of the PFPA, has explained.