Azerbaijani authorities raid RFL/RL offices
THE CHANNEL
|
MEDIA MARKETS
Twelve employees of RFE/RL’s
Baku bureau were forcibly
detained by Azerbaijani
authorities in December. The raid
on the US broadcaster’s bureau
involved Azerbaijani police
seizing documents, computers
and memory sticks. The office
was then sealed, preventing staff
from accessing the bureau. The
following day the first of a series
of raids on homes of RFE/RL
employees in Baku began, with a
number of staff – including the
bureau’s cleaner – detained. No
charges have been brought
against any of the RFE/RL staff.
Those summoned for
questioning were not allowed
representation by a lawyer.
“These people are being
dragged to the prosecutor’s
office by force and by threats,”
said one of the lawyers, who
asked that his name be withheld
out of concerns for his personal
safety. “They are being denied
the opportunity to have any legal
defence, despite the fact that by
Azeri law a witness is normally
summoned by phone or official
summons to enable a lawyer to
be present.”
AIB has condemned the
detention and raid. “It appears
that Azerbaijan is continuing a
comprehensive campaign
against the freedom of
expression and the press,” said
Simon Spanswick, AIB’s Chief
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06
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ISSUE 1 2015
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THE CHANNEL
Executive. “This latest act follows
the detention in February and
most recently in December of
Azerbaijani journalist Khadija
Ismayilova (pictured left), who
contributes to RFE/RL and other
media outlets. The raid on
RFE/RL’s bureau in Baku and the
detention of many of the station’s
staff shows a total disregard for
media freedom in the country.
AIB calls on the authorities to
cease this campaign of
intimidation and allow free
reporting in Azerbaijan.”
The raids and detention of
RFE/RL staff comes as the
broadcaster is under
investigation as a “foreign-
funded entity”. The offices of a
range of non-governmental
organisations including the
International Research and
Exchanges Board (IREX), the
Institute for Reporters’ Freedom
and Safety (IRFS) and the Media
Rights Institute were raided and
sealed in August 2014.
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International radio stations –
including the BBC, Radio Azadliq
(the Azeri-language service of
RFE/RL), and Voice of America –
were taken off the air in
Azerbaijan in 2008. International
stations have broadcast on satellite
or via the Internet since then.
“Azerbaijan has sought to
position itself as an important
player both regionally and in the
global arena,” commented
Spanswick. “These latest moves
are against international
broadcasters and non-
governmental organisations that
are seeking to assist in the
development of Azerbaijan. The
raids demonstrate that the
country is retreating from the
international stage, rather than
taking its place on it. It is time to
once again move forward. The
country can demonstrate this
through ceasing the harassment
of journalists and NGOs. Instead,
the country should uphold the
ideals of the Council of Europe.”
