Azerbaijan
European Court of Human Rights Orders Immediate Release of Azeri JournalistPosted May 3 2010
The European Court of Human Rights ordered immediate release of Eynulla Fatullayev, editor-in-chief of the newspapers Gündəlik Azərbaycan, and Realny Azerbaijan, IPI reported April 23.
The Court voted six-to-one that Azerbaijan had violated restricted freedom of expression “grossly” and “disproportionately” by sentencing Fatullayev to eight-and-a-half years of prison. In 2007, the journalist was found guilty on charges of “criminal defamation” and “fomenting terrorism” through his stories, according to IPI.
In light of the European Court of Human Rights decision, the state has to pay Fatullayev $35,500 in damages.
“We commend the decision of the European Court of Human Rights,” said IPI Deputy Director Alison Bethel McKenzie. “Fatullayev’s innocence has been proven beyond doubt, and this campaign of harassment against him must end.”
According to the IPI National Committee in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan is among “the top jailers of journalists” in the world. In the first two months of 2010 alone, nine journalists were brought to court on criminal charges and 13 were victims of intimidation.