It's looking like Azerbaijan just can’t get by without having at least one editor in jail. The editor-in-chief of Khural newspaper, Avaz Zeynallov, was arrested on October 28, just months after another controversially jailed newspaper editor, Eynulla Fatullayev, was released.
Zeynallov may be facing serious charges of blackmail and bribery, but, given Azerbaijan’s record of jailing journalists/bloggers critical of the government, local observers are erring on the side of skepticism. Before his arrest, Zeynallov crossed the country’s ruling elite with a series of articles about corruption allegations.
If found guilty, he faces a punishment of up to 12 years in jail and the confiscation of personal property.
Zeynallov was remanded after Gular Ahmadova, a parliamentarian from the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party, claimed that he had demanded a bribe from her to hold off on publishing an article that covered corruption accusations against Ahmadova. Zeynallov’s attorney alleges the exact opposite -- that it was Ahmadova who offered to pay the editor for his silence.
Although the journalist's attorney says he has not yet seen any of the government's evidence against his client, police already have been busy searching away. The day of Zeynallov's arrest, they tackled the Khural newsroom and his apartment.
About a week earlier, operating on a court order related to a libel case involving presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehtiyev and media aide Vugar Safarli, police also confiscated much of the newspaper’s property as compensation for a 15,000-manat (about $18,000) fine.
No doubt one senior presidential administration official would call it a case of tough love.
On the day of Zeynallov's arrest, Ali Hasanov, head of the presidential administration's public policy department, announced that Azerbaijan will not heed international calls to decriminalize libel -- for the simple reason that, yes, Azerbaijani journalists are "not ready" for such a change.
Hasanov, who earlier had indicated some openness to making libel a civil charge, cited an “increase in racketeering facts, intentional insult of the honor and dignity of people, the lack of meaningful attempts to improve professional standards [by Azerbaijani journalists]" to back up his case.
In other words, spare the rod and spoil the child?
Giorgi Lomsadze is a journalist based in Tbilisi, and author of Tamada Tales.
Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none.