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 Reporters Without Borders is calling for the immediate release of two Azerbaijani bloggers detained pre-trial for two months by a court in Baku. The organisation has described the decision as 'disproportionate'. The two, Adnan Hajizada and Emin Milli, are described as youth movement leaders, civil society activists and citizen journalists. According to reports on blogs and Twitter the charges against the two could result in their imprisonment for up to two and a half years.
"They were not allowed to see a lawyer and the charges brought against them are baseless. We are worried about their state of health and call for their immediate release," RSF says.
According to reports on several blogs, Facebook and postings on Twitter, the charges against the two could result in their imprisonment for up to two and a half years.
Updates on Twitter
Twitter used to spread story
It’s reported that the two men were beaten and then arrested in a Baku restaurant.
According to Human Rights House Network, the two were sitting in a restaurant with other young adults, discussing the activity of youth organisations related to the Internet when two men told them to stop talking politics and then attacked them.
Ali S. Novruzov a blogging researcher based in Baku who also writes for Global Voices Online and the FrontLine Club blog says the two months of pre-trial detention is the maximum period that they could have been held for.
Novruzov writes that during the two months the investigation has to be concluded and their case brought before the judge.
If the investigation is not concluded, their detention period can be extended for additional two months.
"While detained, they won’t be able to receive any guests, instead of their lawyers.
"They will be held in a new detention center in a town of Kurdokhani, a small town in an hour’s drive from Baku," he writes.
Campaigners are calling for supporters of the two to write to the US Embassy in Baku to try to get help for the two detained bloggers.
Onnik Krikorian, a journalist and photo-journalist and blogger who covers the Caucuses writes on Global Voices that the two were subjected to a trial behind closed doors.
"One Facebook status line update reported that the German Human Rights Ombudsperson, coincidentally in Baku at the time, considered its conduct to be in violation of Azerbaijan's international commitments."
Adnan Hajizadeh is one of the founders of OL! Youth Movement which has a Facebook site, the group tweets @olmedia and have a YouTube site. Emin Milli helped set up the Alumni Network (AN). All sites are being continually updated. |
