OSCE media representative condemns new sentencing of Azerbaijani journalist

VIENNA, 6 July 2010 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, condemned an additional jail sentence of 2.5 years handed down today to Eynulla Fatullayev, one of Azerbaijan's most prominent investigative journalists.

"I am deeply disappointed with today's sentencing, which is yet another attempt at silencing free media in Azerbaijan on questionable criminal charges," Mijatovic said.

A district court in Baku today sentenced Fatullayev, the founder and chief editor of the now-closed Realny Azerbaijan and Gundelik Azarbaycan newspapers, to 2.5 years in a maximum-security prison colony on drug possession charges.

Fatullayev, who is already serving a combined 8.5 year prison term on other controversial charges, denies the new accusations brought against him, saying the drugs allegedly found in his personal belongings during a search of his prison cell were planted.

Mijatovic said she found it particularly disturbing that the verdict came just months after a the European Court of Human Rights overturned Fatullayev's initial sentencing and demanded that he be immediately released from custody. The deadline for Azerbaijan to fulfil the court's judgment expires on 22 July.

She said she also was concerned about Emin Abdullayev (Milli) and Adnan Hacizade, two video bloggers who in November 2009 were sentenced to 2 and 2.5 years in jail respectively on charges of hooliganism and inflicting light bodily injuries. An appeals court in March 2010 upheld both sentences.

"As I wrote in a letter to President Ilham Aliyev on 15 June, I call on Azerbaijani authorities to ensure that Fatullayev and the two video bloggers are set free," Mijatovic said. "By keeping independent-minded journalists behind bars, Azerbaijan demonstrates that it is unwilling to meet OSCE media freedom commitments."