Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. К.Zarbaliyeva / The term of arrest for the journalists of Azerbaijani Tolishi sado newspaper who were charged with high treason has been extended for three months.
Khilal Mammadov, the head of the Committee on protection rights of journalists, has reported to Trend Agency that this decision was made at the Sabail District Court of Baku City on 3 August in the absence of the defendants, the head of the Department of the Linguistics Institute at the Azerbaijani National Academy of Science, Novruzali Mammadov, the Editor-in-Chief of the aforesaid newspaper, and the secretary of the newspaper, Elman Guliyev.
According to Khilal Mammadov, no investigations are being held on the case. During the arrest Novruzali Mammadov was questioned twice. The head of the Committee stated that the defendants were not allowed to meet with the members of their families.
N.Mammadov and E.Guliyev was arrested at the beginning of February. They were charged for contravening Article 274 (high treason) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. Currently, both are kept in the Investigation Cell of the National Security Ministry.