Vienna, 24/05/2017
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemned the actions of authorities in Azerbaijan after freelance journalist Nijat Amiraslanov was detained on 22 May 2017 in the city of Gazakh.
Amiraslanov is known as a critic of local corruption, poverty and media violations, and has reported on these issues extensively in the past. It is believed that his arrest is a form of retaliation for his online posts and reporting so far. On 23 May, a court in Azerbaijan ordered the journalist to spend 30 days in jail for charges of resisting arrest, a charge which Amiraslanov denies.
SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe.