Arrest of Director of Independent News Agency Turan in Azerbaijan

Authorities in Azerbaijan have issued a long-term temporary arrest order for the director of the independent news agency Turan. The detention is expected to last until approximately three months later, when his trial is scheduled to take place. Mehman Aliyev, the director of Turan, was arrested on Thursday, August 24, on charges of 'tax evasion' and 'abuse of power,' an event that occurred two weeks after the Azerbaijani Ministry of Taxes announced charges against this news agency. Turan is a critical media outlet against the Azerbaijani government, and Mr. Aliyev has previously emphasized that all these accusations are politically motivated. According to a report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Turan has announced that due to the arrest of its director and the freezing of its bank accounts, it will cease its news reporting starting next week, at the beginning of September. The arrest of Mehman Aliyev has also provoked reactions from international human rights organizations and foreign leaders, including Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who called it 'unjust' and urged Azerbaijan to fully comply with its commitments under the European Convention on Human Rights. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe also stressed that such approaches have no place in a democratic society. Additionally, Ben Cardin, a Democratic senator from the United States, described the charges against Mehman Aliyev as an example of 'fabrication' and added that 'Azerbaijan deserves to have a free press.' Reporters Without Borders also labeled the accusations against the director of Turan as 'fake,' stating that 'since Azerbaijani officials have been unable to compel Turan to cooperate, they have increased pressure on it.' Azerbaijani officials claim that Turan has failed to pay approximately $21,500 in taxes for the years 2014 to 2016. Turan has been operational since 1990 and covers news in Azerbaijani, English, and Russian. This media outlet also collaborates with major international news agencies.