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The arrest of prominent Azerbaijani newspaper correspondent and political analyst Rauf Mirkadirov could put an end to efforts by Azerbaijani and Armenian civil society activists and bury their so-called “citizen diplomacy,” writes Shahin Abbasov in an article published on the site of EurasiaNet.

“The Azerbaijani government has never welcomed such exchanges, but previously never seriously harassed those few Azerbaijanis who took part in them, either. But the espionage charge against Mirkadirov, who had traveled occasionally to Yerevan for conferences, could strongly discourage their continuing,” the author writes.

According to the article Rauf Mirkadirov, 53, had worked as the Ankara correspondent of the Baku-based Russian-language Zerkalo (Mirror) daily for the last three years. His articles and op-eds were often critical of both the Azerbaijani authorities and the Turkish government. He was detained and deported to Azerbaijan. In Baku, he was arrested upon arrival.

Azerbaijani prosecutors state that Mirkadirov is suspected of having transferred to Armenian intelligence classified information about Azerbaijan. Mirkadirov’s attorney, Fuad Agayev, stresses that his client did not have access to classified information and that, therefore, these charges are groundless.

The fact that Mirkadirov was deported just a few days after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Baku made many in Azerbaijan, including Mirkadirov’s lawyer, Fuad Agayev, believe that the journalist’s arrest is the result of an agreement between Ankara and Baku. “Motivations for the arrest remain unclear. While Mirkadirov was critical of both the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments, other Azerbaijani journalists have been more outspoken,” the author notes.

According to an article of the Russian news portal "Lenta.ru," "the version of treason does not hold water until the prosecution presents evidence against the journalist."

"Rather reasoned questions arise about why intelligence agencies waited for six years before indicting Mirkadirov, and what kind of secret information he could ever have? His colleagues believe that he could suffer because of his professional activities. Although, surely, his recent articles on limitation of freedom in Turkey and ban on "Twitter" in this country could not lead to such serious consequences," writes the site.

As the "Lenta" notes, earlier a significant part of publications and comments in media made by Mirkadirov was dedicated to the Karabakh issue, because of which Armenia and Azerbaijan are actually in war till now. Mirkadirov got engaged in this topic back in 90s.

As a journalist he often visited the zone of hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh, and, several times personally took up arms. But even in these articles he did not step back from the official disposition of Baku, the article reads. What exactly Turkish and Azerbaijani leadership was disappointed with remains a mystery. However, the Mirkadirov is sure that he has become a victim of "political bargaining between the leaderships of two countries."

"In any case, Mirkadirov may face from ten years to life imprisonment. Hardly it could be only a matter of dissatisfaction of authorities of two states," writes the author of the article and adds that it’s more likely that Mirkadirov will face the same fate of Gila Mammadov, the chief editor of "Tolyshi Sado", who was an active participant of the Talysh National Movement, who last year was jailed for five years on charges of collaboration with the special forces in Iran.

“Reporters Without Borders” on Wednesday called for the immediate and unconditional release of Rauf Mirkadirov.
“By illegally expelling Mirkadirov, the Turkish authorities have rendered themselves complicit in Azerbaijan’s persecution of this journalist,” said Johann Bihr, the head of the Reporters Without Borders Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.

According to him the grave charges brought against Mirkadirov are totally absurd. “He is just the latest victim of the Azerbaijani government’s campaign to eradicate its media critics. How could this journalist has transmitted state secrets to which he did not have access?” the organization representative wonders.