March 31, 2008: Our HCA spokeswoman Arzu Abdullayeva starts starvation action in Azerbaidjan
00:00, April 7, 2008 | Freedom of Information and Speech
Dear friends,
Public figures join the starvation action started by Eynulla Fatullayev, the editor in chief of the newspapers “Gundalik Azerbaijan” and “Realniy Azerbaijan” who was sentenced for 8 and half years of imprisonment for defamation.
Firstly, today on March 31, 2008, Arzu Abdullayeva, the chair of the Committee on Protection of the Freedom of Speech joined the action. It must be noted that Arzu Abdullayeva is the co-chair of the International Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly and the chair of the National Committee of the Organization. In 1993 she was awarded with “Olaf Palme” International Peace Prize. Besides, in 1998 she was the laureate of the award of the US Government and European Union for “For Efforts in Building Democracy”. Novella Jafaroghlu, the chair of the Women Rights’ Protection Society named after Dilara Jafaroghlu was also awarded with the same prize.
The Committee has also sent the information to civil society and asked public figures to join the action and efforts for the release of the imprisoned journalists who are recognized as prisoners of conscience by international organizations. In the Appeal it is stated that the pressure by the authorities against the freedom of speech has reached the extent of murdering, inflicting wounds with knife, beating, slandering, and imprisoning journalists with injustice sentences. Such situation causes enhancement of the authorities’ conviction of impunity and disgrades the reputation of the state internationally.
Helsinki Citizens Assembly, Azerbaijan National Committee, March 31st, 2008