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| Journalist Elnara Gasimova detained after interrogation |
| 2024-01-14 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [KavkazUzel] After being summoned for questioning by the Baku police, Elnara Gasimova was detained in a criminal case against Abzas Media journalists. The number of detainees in this case has reached six. As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, Elnara Gasimova was among the witnesses questioned in November 2023 in the case of journalists from the online publication Abzas Media. Journalist Nargiz Absalamova, interrogated at the same time as a witness, was later arrested, like her colleagues. Today, the police again demanded the appearance of Gasimova, saying that they want to clarify questions about the case of her colleagues from Abzas Media. Abzas Media is known for its anti-corruption investigations. Who the publication's high-profile investigations were devoted to can be read in the "Caucasian Knot" reference " What Abzas Media did not please the Azerbaijani authorities." After interrogation at the Baku police headquarters, Elnara Gasimova was detained as a suspect under Art. 206.3.2 (smuggling committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, the journalist’s lawyer Bahruz Bayramov told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent. Gasimova was charged in a criminal case against Abzas Media employees, but she denies the charges and connects them with her professional activities, the lawyer emphasized. “Obviously, she will be charged within 48 hours, and, most likely, the investigation will petition the court to select a preventive measure in the form of arrest,” predicted Gasimova’s lawyer. Elnara Gasimova became the sixth person detained in the case against Abzas Media journalists. Earlier, from November 20 to December 14, 2023, the publication’s director Ulvi Hasanli, editor-in-chief Sevinj Vagifgyzy, activist Mohammed Kekalov who collaborated with the publication, as well as journalists Nargiz Absalamova and Hafiz Babaly were detained and then arrested. They are accused of currency smuggling due to 40 thousand euros found in the editorial office during a search. The publication Qafqazinfo.az, in the article “Both Execute Foreign Orders” dated January 11, called the events around the Abzas Media team “exposure of the activities of a network associated with the United States.” “Mechanisms of formation and financing, sources of ideas, methods of confusing public opinion were studied, measures were taken to eliminate them. Legal measures were taken against members of the network within the framework of the laws of Azerbaijan,” the article says. The material also contains unflattering value judgments and criticism of Osmanqızı TV, Hamam Times and JAMnews. All of these publications are accused of trying to promote narratives that differ from the course of the Azerbaijani authorities and are beneficial to the United States; even accusations of slander have been voiced against JAMnews. At the same time, Qafqazinfo.az positions itself as an online newspaper that “does not discriminate against any political or social group and disseminates news completely objectively and independently.” |
| Posted by:badanov |