Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr S. Aghayeva / The head of the Caucasus Muslims Clerical Port, Sheik-ul-Islam haji Allahshukur Pashazadeh, hopes the jailed Azerbaijani journalists will use the Azerbaijani President's humane pardon, he said to journalists on 13 September.
Seven journalists are jailed in Azerbaijan, Eynulla Fatullayev, Mirza Sakit, Faramaz Novruzoghlu, Rovshan Kabirli, Yashar Aghazadeh, Rafig Taghi, and Samir Sadagatoghlu. They all are primarily accused of slander.
According to Pashazadeh, the jailed journalists have not applied to the State Pardon Commission, where he is a member, to be pardoned. "If we receive such an appeal, the Commission will unconditionally consider them. However, clemency is the President's term of reference," he said.
The Sheik-ul-Islam initiated the President to pardon the arrested members of the Azerbaijan Islamic Party, who are accused of an attempted coup and enticing a coup. "If the jailed journalists apply to me in person, I could request the President to pardon them," Pashazadeh.