12:25, 22 March 2004

Yeni Musavat newspaper journalists stop hunger strike

On March 19, five contributors to the Yeni Musavat newspaper suspended the hunger strike they had started on March 15. "The editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Rauf Arifoglu, who is held in Bailovsky Investigatory Isolation Ward No 1, addressed an appeal to the hunger strikers, asking them to stop it," reported Yeni Musavat deputy editor-in-chief Gabil Abbasoglu.

Rauf Arifoglu urged the hunger strikers not to damage their health and to spend coming holidays normally. The journalists obeyed, however they are not going to give up their struggle "if the authorities do not take any measures to prevent the closure of the newspaper within the next few days."

To remind, the contributors to the opposition periodical protested against the judgments obliging the newspaper to pay fines at the amount of 730 million manats (about $150 thousand).

Editors note: See also the article "Yeni Musavat newspaper staff continue hunger strike".

Author: Shakhin Rzayev, expert of the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations

Source: Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (Moscow)