POLITICS
President Ilham Aliyev instructs appropriate authorities to consider Mehman Aliyev`s request
Baku, September 11, AZERTAC
The Azerbaijani President`s Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov has responded to AZERTAC`s questions concerning director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev and Alexander Lapshin, who was sentenced to a three year prison term this July.
Ali Hasanov said: “Director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev was charged on several articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and arrested in August of this year. Azerbaijan Press Council made a request to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for a just settlement of the issue in accordance with the country`s laws. At the same time, Mehman Aliyev made a request to the head of state for replacement of his imprisonment with house arrest.”
“I should emphasize that back in 2009 President Ilham Aliyev expressed his opinion and will that given democratic principles, supremacy of the freedom of speech and information in Azerbaijan, charging media employees for their professional activities is not reasonable. Under instructions of the head of state, media employees have not been imprisoned for their professional activities in Azerbaijan since 2009.”
Ali Hasanov said that President Ilham Aliyev instructed the appropriate authorities to consider director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev`s request to replace his imprisonment with house arrest.
“This decision is a clear manifestation of the Azerbaijani President`s unchangeable position and will that democratic principles, the freedom of speech and information, independence of the mass media and free activities of journalists must be ensured in the country.”
Ali Hasanov also commented on Alexander Lapshin`s case. “The release and extradition of Lapshin, who was imprisoned in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan, has constantly been on the agenda. An appropriate decision on this issue had been delayed simply because a request from the State of Israel, of which Lapshin is a citizen, had been delayed. This request has already been made and a decision on Alexander Lapshin has already been taken,” Ali Hasanov added.