Independent news agency chief in Azerbaijan arrested

Azerbaijan arrests director of sole independent news agency
Azeri Police Detain Head of Opposition-leaning News Agency
Author

25 August, 2017

The director general of Turan News Agency, Mehman Aliyev, has been sentenced to a 3-month pretrial detention by Baku's Yasamal district court, APA reported.

On August 24 director of Turan independent news agency Mehman Aliyev has been arrested.

"Mehman Aliyev is one of journalism's pioneers in Azerbaijan".

Police had also searched the agency's office.

In a statement on its website today, Turan said its bank accounts have been blocked and the agency will be forced to suspend its work indefinitely from 1 September. "Authorities have systematically jailed journalists and squeezed out independent media outlets by abusing the criminal code".

"We demand his immediate release and the withdrawal of all the politically-motivated charges against Turan", the media advocacy group said.

According to media reports, he has been arrested on suspicion of avoiding taxes.

On August 7, officials launched a tax-evasion investigation into Turan, alleging the agency owed 37,000 manats ($21,500) in taxes for 2014-16.

The lawyer representing Turan was quoted in reports as saying that Aliyev was summoned to give testimony as a witness in the case, but was then detained. The ministry dispatched a tax inspector to begin an on-site audit of the agency's activities the following day.

Turan has denied the charges. The news agency notes several irregularities in the investigation, including the tax authorities' decision to omit information relating to a recent audit absolving Turan of similar allegations. It said the inspection was an attempt to "paralyze" the outlet.

Western governments and global rights watchdogs have criticized Baku for clamping down on independent media outlets, journalists, and opposition politicians and activists. The newspaper had been on the government's radar for years and is no longer available either in print or online in the country.

Azerbaijan is ranked 162nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index.


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