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Blogger, recognized prisoner of conscience, released from prison in Azerbaijan

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Blogger Mehman Huseynov, sentenced to two years in prison on charges of defamation, was released earlier today.

Mehman Huseynov, 26, is a video blogger who actively criticized the Azerbaijani authorities in his videos.

In March 2017, he was sentenced to two years on charges of libel against a police officer when he complained of torture at the police station. International organizations have recognized him as a political prisoner.

At the end of December 2018, with just a few months before the end of his term, Mehman was accused of assaulting a prison ward. Had he been convicted of the accusation, he would have faced an additional seven years in prison. In protest, he went on a hunger strike, joined by many other political prisoners and opposition activists. The case received widespread publicity and served as a pretext for an opposition rally.

The new case against Huseynov was later dismissed after he wrote a letter to President Ilham Aliyev.

• Where is the red line for Azerbaijan’s journalists?

• Opposition protests in support of political prisoners takes place in Baku

• Why Azerbaijani blogger Mehman Huseynov went on hunger strike

After his release, Mehman Huseynov immediately went to the grave of his mother who died while he was in prison, reports Turan. From there, he went to a demonstration in commemoration of journalist Elmar Huseynov who was killed 14 years ago today – his murderer has never been found.

Mehman Huseynov said that in 2017 he was arrested the day after he spoke at the grave of Huseynov and said that he “will continue the path of free journalism, like Elmar”.

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