Journalist Khazi released from Azerbaijani prison (+video)

Seimur Khazi, an observer for an oppositional newspaper, has been released from jail today. His colleagues and wife assert that Seimur had been convicted for political reasons. The journalist said that he would continue his professional activities.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in January 2015, Seimur Khazi, an observer of the "Azadlyg" (Freedom) newspaper, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of beating a stranger in 2014.

According to Khazi, he does not treat the time in jail as his lost time. "I went in for sports, read many books, and improved my knowledge ... I did not expect and did not want the pardon," he said.

"The situation in the country has changed little in five years. Corruption has not decreased; prisons are full of political prisoners; and residents of a resource-abound country live in poverty," Mr Khazi has added.

His colleague, Khadija Ismayilova, has treated Khazi's imprisonment as politically motivated.

"Seimur was arrested for his criticism of authorities, corruption and human rights violations," she said.

"The journalists Afghan Mukhtarly, Araz Guliev, Ziya Asadli, Elchin Ismailly, Ikram Ragimov and Polad Aslanov, arrested for their professional activities, are still in prison, Mekhman Guseinov, the chairman of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Security (IRFS), has stated.