Azerbaijan, Baku, 30 march / Trend corr. I.Alizadeh / Journalists, who announced hunger strike protesting arrest of representatives of press, called Eynulla Fatullayev, editor-in-chief of the Gundalik Azerbaijan and Realni Azerbaijan newspapers, to stop hunger strike.
""It is difficult and harmful for health to hold hunger strike in prisons. Therefore, we asked Fatulayev to sop hunger strike. We want Fatullayev to stop action and journalists and representatives of NGOs to continue action," Shahvalad Chobanoglu, the chief editor of Gundalik Azerbaijan newspaper, stated to Trend on 30 March. Fatullayev launched hunger strike on 26 March
Shahvalad Chobanoglu, the chief editor of Gundalik Azerbaijan newspaper, Aynur Elgunash, employee at Gundalik Azerbaijan newspaper, Zahid Safaroglu, editor of Yeni Musavat newspaper, Elshan Balakhanli, journalist of Yeni Musavat newspaper, Natig Javadli, journalist of the Bizim Yol (Our Way) newspaper, Agasif Shakiroglu, chairman of Democratic Youth Movement, hold hunger strike in the editing house of Yeni Musavat newspaper.
The state of journalists is normal, Chobanoglu said.
Fatullayev, editor-in-chief of the Gundalik Azerbaijan and Realni Azerbaijan newspapers was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison by the decision of the Heinous Crimes Court on 30 October. The sentence was read in the Heinous Crimes Court of Azerbaijan on 30 October 2007. Fatullayev was charged with violating Articles 214.1 (terrorism), 283.2.2 (hostility) and 213.2.2 (tax evasion) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. Fatullayev allegedly did not pay tax in the amount of AZN 242,522. Fatullayev was charged as a result of articles published in his newspapers by the lawsuit of Tatyana Chaladzeh, head of the State Committee on Refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDP) on 20 April.
Presently, there are three detained journalists in Azerbaijan. They are Fatullayev, Ganimat Zahid, chief editor of Azadlig newspaper, and his brother Mirza Sakit.
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