Ikram Rahimov, the founder of the news website “Realliq.info”, was detained on October 26, 2018 by the Azerbaijan State Security Service (SSS). He was accused of extorting money from individuals through collecting compromising information about and threatening them with publishing "slanderous" articles. The Baku Court of Grave Crimes (BCGC) justified all the charges against Ikram Rahimov true, and on June 12, 2019 he was sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
The Baku Appeals Court is currently re-investigating the case based on Ikram Rahimov's complaint.
The disturbing fact is that some political groups, politicized journalists and media outlets in the country are currently manipulating information around Ikram Rahimov and the Realliq.info news site, the processes on case are taken out of the real context, and these outlets create an opinion on Ikram Rahimov’s unjust prosecution and violation of his rights .” Very regrettably, through false information on the case these groups create perplexity not only in the country, but also among the international journalist organizations and involve them in their own games, and finally they arranged them to make statements that do not reflect the reality. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has issued a Call for Release of Ikram Rahimov, who was 'imprisoned for political reasons.' However, there is no political factor among the reasons that led to the arrest of Ikram Rahimov.
We inform you that citizens who were dissatisfied with the activity of Ikram Rahimov and the Realliq.info news website have applied to the Azerbaijani Press Council (APC) before addressing to the SSS and the Baku Court of Grave Crimes. From August 2017 to December 2017, three discussions were held on the Realliq.info news site based on complaints received from citizens, individuals working for institutions and organizations and entrepreneurs. As a result of the discussions it was discovered that the articles published in the news website Realliq.info and caused complaints violated all the principles of the Code of Professional Ethics for Journalists of Azerbaijan. Objectivity wasn’t observed in all information highlighted; opinions of the opposing sides were not examined, and there were plenty of unproven figures and “facts” in the articles published. Those complaints and articles that caused complaints have been filed and are kept in the Press Council archives today. Those who are interested in the case and wish to know the truth can apply and get access to the materials, as well as examples of the issuance of fake journalist licenses on behalf of Realliq.info to individual citizens who are presently in prison.
At that time, the PC contacted Realty.info news website and Ikram Rahimov and recommended to make improvement in their activities. Unfortunately, the news website Realliq.info and Ikram Rahimov have not followed the PC’s recommendations, and have continued taking giant steps in the "wrong direction". Citizens who were unable to regain their rights through the Press Council appealed to law enforcement bodies and courts to obtain Ikram Rahimov's arrest.
Of course, we - the representatives of media - oppose the arrest of a journalist. Therefore, we support the adoption of Defamation Law in Azerbaijan. However, the fact that the law has not been adopted yet does not give anyone the right to break existing laws and ignore the Code of Ethics. So, the “Reallıq.info” news website and Ikram Rahimov’s activities are too rich with such facts. Those who are interested in these facts can apply to the PC and get acquainted with them.
We think that those who are objective, impartial and keep to the Code of Ethics of Journalists should behave in this way, first investigate what has happened, make conclusions, and then make statements. Otherwise, they will put their activities under suspicious. Certainly, rash and ungrounded statements made by international organizations, that have not read a single article published on the news website Reallıq.info, are not familiar with Ikram Rahimov's 'journalistic activity' and have not listened to citizens who had complained, are discouraging and are not well received by Azerbaijani journalists.
On behalf of the Azerbaijani journalists’ organizations:
International Eurasian Press Fund: Umud Mirzayev (+994 50) 222 7226
The Parliamentary Journalists Union: Elshad Eyvazlı (+994 50) 229 4494
Democratic Journalists League: Yadigar Mammadli (+994 50) 310 1019
"RUH" Committee for the Protection of
the Rights of Journalists Avaz Rustamov (+994 50) 242 0991
Research Centre for Journalists: Seymur Verdizadeh (+994 50) 256 3972
Azerbaijan Journalists Trade Union: Mushfig Alasgarli (+994 50) 324 6530
Central Asian and Southern Caucasian Freedom of Expression
Network (CASCFEN) Nadir Ismayilov (+994 50) 324 7329
The Military Reporters |Journalists Union:
Tamkhil Ziyeddinoglu (+994 77) 729 0005
The Journalists Association of the Organization
of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States: Fazil Abbasov (+994 77) 729 0005