RWB express outrage at interrogation of journalist Turkhan Kerimov in Azerbaijan

The international organization in defence of the press "Reporters Without Borders" (RWB) has condemned the actions of the police, which questioned Turkhan Kerimov, an employee of the Azerbaijani Service of Radio Liberty on November 28 in Baku. The RWB has expressed its concern for the fate and safety of independent journalists in Azerbaijan. The incident with Kerimov was not the first fact of pressure on journalists and bloggers by law enforcement bodies, said the RWB.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 28 the journalist was taken to one of the offices of the Narimanov District Police Department, where he was questioned about his political activities.

"The kidnapping of Turkhan Kerimov by those who are intended to ensure the public order, is deeply shocking," the RWB said in its statement released on November 29, a copy of which was received by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Such facts of persecution are increasingly worrying, since they become a normal procedure for policemen, who use illegal methods of pressure on those who criticize the government," said Johan Beer, the head of the RWB for Europe and Eurasia, whose words are cited in the statement.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.