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Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns a renewed crackdown in Azerbaijan, in which at least 15 bloggers, media workers and independent journalists have recently been detained, and calls for the immediate release of all those held, reads the report published on the official website of the organization.

The intensified persecution of critics in the past two months has completely eclipsed the Azerbaijani government’s conciliatory gestures in the spring of 2016, when it freed a number of political prisoners.

The new crackdown’s victims include Fikret Faramazoglu, the head of the Centre for Journalistic Investigations (JAM) and editor of its website, Jam.az, who was sentenced on 14 June to seven years in prison and a two-year ban on working as a journalist after his release.

Faramazoglu and his lawyer say the charge brought against him – extorting money from a restaurant owner – was fabricated by the authorities as reprisal for Jam.az’s reporting. Shortly before his arrest, the site reported that the police were turning a blind eye to illegal brothel activity.

According to his wife and his lawyer, Faramazoglu has been tortured in detention and has lost at least two teeth.

Freelance journalist Nijat Amiraslanov met a similar fate. Arrested on 22 May shortly after posting criticism of the authorities on social networks, and sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention, he was reportedly almost toothless when he appeared in court for his appeal hearing on 3 June. His lawyer said threats and force were use to get him to withdraw his appeal and admit his guilt.

“Arrest, torture and conviction on trumped-up charges has become the norm for independent journalists in Azerbaijan, one that is indicative of a desire on the part of the authorities to deliver the final blow to the country’s remaining critics,” RSF said.

“All of the detained journalists must be released at once. This is urgent, especially as some of them are being tortured and have serious health problems. We call on the Azerbaijani government’s international partners to remind the authorities of their human rights obligations."

To note, Azerbaijan is ranked 162nd out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2017 World Press Freedom Index.