American students launch line of bracelets with arrested journalists’ names, including one from Azerbaijan
Journalism students at the University of Maryland are planning to publicize the plight of 221 imprisoned journalists across the world by launching a line of bracelets with their names. Azerbaijani investigative journalist Khadija Ismaylova is among the journalists whose names will emblazon the bracelets, British outlet The Guardian reports citing The Associated Press.
According to the article, the students hope to raise enough money to produce 10,000 bracelets in a project called Press Uncuffed. All the money they raise by selling them will then be donated to the New York-based press freedom group, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
“It will raise awareness of what it takes to report a story, and how important that truth is for a free and prosperous society,” Rosemary Ostmann, a Maryland university alumna and spokeswoman for the project, said.
The bracelets will also carry the names of jailed journalists from Bahrain, Egypt, Ethiopia, Swaziland, Vietnam, Iran, Uzbekistan and China, the article reads.
On 5 December, 2014, well-known Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova was detained after being questioned at the prosecutor's office. Baku Sabail District Court made a decision to detain her with charges of incitement to suicide. Khadija Ismayilova has become the target of attacks of the government for her journalistic activities. Ismayilova is an author of a number of journalistic investigations of corruption in the highest echelons of power in Azerbaijan. In recent years, she was conducting a talk show in the Azerbaijani Service of Radio Liberty.
The arrest of Ismayilova has been followed by a wave of condemning statements by a number of international organizations and influential representatives from various states. Protest actions have been organized in her support in various countries; and prominent international editions released articles covering the topic. Nonetheless, on 13 February, 2015 Prosecutor General's Office of Grave Crimes Investigation Department of Azerbaijan charged the journalist under articles 179.3.2 (large-scale appropriation), 192.2.2 (illegal entrepreneurship with large income) and 308.2 (abuse of power with grave consequences) under Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. She faces up to 12 years in prison.
There are also reports that the opposition activist of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party (APFP), Natiq Adilov, has got a political asylum in France, Azerbaijani media outlet Haqqin.az reports citing the newspaper Yeni Musavat. According to the article, Adilov had long been living in Georgia waiting for an official political asylum in a European state.
Azerbaijani human rights defender, APFP opposition party activist and Azadlig newspaper journalist Natiq Adilov’s brother was arrested in 2014 for 3 months with charges of drug possession. On 11 August, 2014 he was detained by the officials of the Organized Crime Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan. His family claims Murad’s arrest was politically motivated.
Related:
Opposition journalist Khadija Ismayilova charged with economic crimes in Azerbaijan: she faces up to 12 years
Detained Azerbaijani journalist writes about women’s problems in prison
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