OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today welcomed the release of the head of the Internet TV channel Kanal 13 in Azerbaijan.
“My Office and I stand ready to co-operate with Azerbaijan’s authorities on other journalists’ cases and to support an improvement of the media freedom situation in the country,” Désir said in his statement.
On April 5, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan partially cancelled the verdict of the Baku Court of Appeal against Aziz Orujov. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison and this decision was replaced by a conditional sentence. The decision was then reached to release him.
Orujov was detained on May 2 on charges of resistance to police and was sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention.
On June 1, the Investigation Department for Grave Crimes under the Prosecutor General’s Office initiated a criminal case against Orujov under articles 192 (illegal business) and 308 (abuse of power) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. On the same day, Orujov was put in 4-month pretrial detention.
The Baku Court on Grave Crimes pronounced a verdict sentencing Orujov to six years of imprisonment. The appeal lodged against the verdict was denied. Following that, a cassation appeal was made.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
