Mehman Aliyev, Director of ‘Turan’ news agency has been released

The Baku City Yasamal District Court decided on 11 September to change the restraint measure concerning Mehman Aliyev, the Director of the ‘Turan’ news agency, and replace his custodial detention with house arrest.

Mehman Aliyev has already been released from custody.

As Mehman Aliyev told journalists, he had appealed to the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev the night before, reminding the President about the agency’s activity. As he noted in his appeal, he had never evaded the investigation into the case opened against him. He also requested that the custodial detention chosen as a measure of restraint against him, be changed. The Azerbaijani President tasked the law-enforcement agencies to consider Mehman Aliyev’s appeal.

“I’ve been in an information vacuum for two weeks. But what I would like to do first is to go home to my family,” Mehman Aliyev told journalists who greeted him, adding that he was treated quite normally when in custody.

Mehman Aliyev was facing charges under three articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan: illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion and abuse of official powers.

After his arrest, many organizations and representatives of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia petitioned the President, requesting a fair trial for the director of the Turan news agency as well as replacement of his custodial detention with house arrest. Among the petitioners were the heads of the Azerbaijani Press Union, the Writers’ Union, the Journalists’ Union as well as some renowned writers and public figures.

International mass media and human rights organizations also called for the release of Mehman Aliyev. The U.S. and British government officials also expressed their concern about this case.