Azerbaijan, Baku, 30 January / Trend corr. K.Zarbaliyeva / The World Press Freedom that includes 45 journalistic groups, appealed to the Azerbaijani President.
Markkham Bench, the Executive Director of the Committee, approved the amnesty of the five detained Azerbaijani journalists condemned by slander. At the same time, he expressed dissatisfaction in connection with the sentence made against Avaz Zeynalli, chief editor of Khural newspaper, and Vugar Alakparov, journalist.
"It is deplorable that Eynulla Fatullayev, Sakit Zahidov, Ganimat Zahidov and Mushvig Huseynov have been kept in prison. The sentence taken by court against Avaz Zeynalli and Vugar Alakparov, who were sentenced to two years and six months in prison, may be considered as an open pressure on the press," he noted.
The appeal reports that the arrest of journalists is a pressure put on an independent and free press. A free press is considered a key attribute of democracy.
"We call on you to use your power to set free other journalists immediately," stated in the appeal.