Azerbaijani court leaves blogger Yahyaoglu in custody

The court has rejected the complaint of the Azerbaijani blogger, Eivaz Yahyaoglu against his arrest. The leader of the Azerbaijani Nationalist-Democratic Party (ANDP), in which he is a member, has promised that a complaint will be filed against the court's decision with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 10, Eivaz Yahyaoglu, an ANDP member, was arrested in the city of Shirvan and accused of disobeying the police. His fellow party members have suggested that the persecution of the blogger has to do with his criticism of local authorities. Human rights defenders have demanded to stop persecuting Yahyaoglu.

On his YouTube channel entitled "Şirvan Tv Eivaz Eloğlu", Eivaz Yahyaoglu publicized facts of people's rights violations in Shirvan, showed "plots about the squandering of state property, and officials' indifference to citizens' complaints," Galandar Mukhtarly, the ANDP chairman, has stated.

An advocate said, referring to his client's words, that during detention, force was used against Yahyaoglu and he was insulted, although he violated no law.

Emin Guseinov, the director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), believes that the blogger is being persecuted for his freedom of expression.

"Yahyaoglu covered bureaucratic lawlessness and made public violations of citizens' rights in rural areas ... The fact that after his detention, a number of his publications were removed from the Internet convinces that he was persecuted precisely for this," Mr Guseinov has stated.