On Monday early morning, the editor-in-chief of Abzas Media, Sevinj Vaqifqizi was detained at the airport as she was returning to Baku.
According to the activists who were together with her, she was not allowed to register at the passport control office and police took her to the Baku City Police Department.
Following the detention police searched her apartment with her and lawyer Elchin Sadigov’s presence.
A day ago, Abzas Media’s director Ulvi Hasanli was also detained on the same charges of “smuggling foreign currency”. According to lawyer Sevinj’s lawyer Elchin Sadigov, the court will announce the decision of the pre-trial detention in Khatai District Court later today.
Yesterday activist Mahammad Kekalov also was detained.
It has already been more than 24 hours his family members and close friends have not been informed about his whereabouts.
Kekalov’s lawyer Rovshana Rahimli requested the Ombudsman office in order to get information about him, however she was told the “office has no information about activists”.
What happened previously?
On early Monday Azerbaijani independent news website Abzas Media’s director Ulvi Hasanli was detained at Baku airport, while he was travelling abroad.
Following his detention police invited Hasanli’s lawyer to the police department, then took him to search the office of Abzas Media where he briefed his colleagues that he was physically mistreated and “punched in the eye”.
According to Hasanli’s lawyer, Zibeyda Sadigova police “found” 40 thousand euros cash at the office. But Abzas Media issued a statement accusing authorities of planting the money.
“The alleged funds discovered in our office do not belong to Abzas Media and are a scenario invented by the investigative authorities to stop our activities and bring charges against Ulvi Hasanli,” the statement said.
