Embassy of Norway will appeal to Azerbaijani regarding deportation of Swedish journalists
Embassy of Norway in Azerbaijan representing the interests of Sweden too, will apply on Tuesday officially to national authorities for an explanation regarding deportation from Baku three Swedish journalists, according to the representative of the Embassy of Norway Lars Hauns.According to him, the Norwegian embassy will comment on the situation after receiving the official response of the Azerbaijani side. My Roderstrit, Sharlotta Uijkstrom and Charly Latravot from the First National TV channel in Sweden were detained on Sunday, April 17, in "Sahil" park when watching the protest of opposition.They were kept one day in the State Migration Service, and were told that they will be deported because of "violating the visa regime." They were not submitted official written documents.
Swedish journalists are deported
"We were told that we would be deported from the country. We will be taken to the airport, and be put on the Baku-Istanbul flight that departs at 18:00," Turan was told by May Roderstrit, one of three Swedish journalists. May Roderstrit, Charlotte Wikstrom, and their assistant Charlie Latravot arrived in Baku to make a documentary film for the First National Channel of the Swedish television.
"We arrived in Baku on Friday at the invitation of Radio Liberty and were about to make a film about human rights in your country. Prior to my arrival I appealed to the Interior Ministry and Foreign Ministry with request that the officials give us an interview for this film," the journalist said.According to her, they were kept in the Migration Service doe a day, and they were not formally charged. All the complaints were made orally and without any concrete facts. "You have violated the visa regime and that is all."
The film they were going to made was to reflect the current state of human rights in Azerbaijan.The Swedish journalists were detained at 16:00 in the "Sahil" park. The authorities accused them of filming without accreditation. However, the journalists did not conduct any filming and just watched the opposition protests.Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and the Immigration Service have not commented on the expulsion of the Swedish journalists. It is not the first time in the history of independent Azerbaijan when the authorities expel from the country's journalists having visa.Commenting on this incident the lawyer Alesker Mamedli said that in accordance with the Article 50 of Azerbaijan’s Constitution, every person has a right for collecting information. The accreditation of journalists should facilitate the work of journalists and can not be used to complicate their work.Besides, European Conventions, which Azerbaijan has joined, calls for the help of journalists in their work. (contact.az)
Three Swedish journalists still in custody in Migration Service
Three Swedish journalists, and not two, as reported before, were arrested during yesterday’s rally of Azerbaijan’s opposition in Baku. They are My Roder Strit, Sharlotta Uijkstrom, and Charly Latravot representing the First National TV Channel of Sweden.
“We have been kept in the Migration Service since yesterday and have not been explained anything. They first told us we had no accreditation. But, as a matter of fact, we obtained our visas as journalists at Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Sweden. Azerbaijan’s officials knew we came to Azerbaijan to shoot a movie. They charge us with taking images without a right to do this, but the charge is groundless, because we did not take even a single image. We were just standing and observing the area when they arrested us,” My Roder Strit told Turan on the phone this morning.
Commenting on their situation, Roder Strit said none of the Azerbaijani Migration Service’s employees can speak English. “They have told us one of their employees can speak English, but he is not at the office now. So we are just waiting for our Consul to come and manage the situation,” she said.
The three Swedish TV journalists were detained in Saheel Park at 16:00 yesterday, and brought to the Migration Service. They were charged with breaking the visa regime by taking images illegally. Their colleagure, photograper Zolt Tsilkotsky, who was not detained by the security forces, informed Turan about the incident.
“We were standing with other journalists in the park and were not doing anything. Two people came up and took my colleagues away. Later, my friends sent me an SMS saying the officials were going to deport them,” he said.
Azerbaijan’s Migration Service and Foreign Ministry have not commented on the Swedish journalists’ detention, but the local Council of Press made a statement about the incident two hours after it took place. The body headed by Aflatun Amashev actually supported the actions of Azerbaijan’s officials and said journalists have to abide by the regulations and obtain accreditation. The statement said nothing about the freedom of expression or the rights of journalists.
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19:25 - Azeri authorities want to deport Swedish journalists
Roder Strit and Sharlotta Uijkstrom – journalists of the First National TV channel of Sweden were detained on Sunday in Baku by security service while they attended at the Sahil
Aquare in the centre of Baku where opposition plans to make a rally.
They were delivered to the Immigration agency and accused in violation of visa regime. The violation means illegal filming, told Turan their colleague, cameraman Zolt Cilkotsky.
"We arrived to Baku as journalists and have accreditation of the Ministry of foreign affairs, as well my colleagues have no cameras and they could not make any filming", - said Cilcotsky.
Police, Immigration agency and Ministry of foreign affairs do not give any comments on the case.
17:50 - Opposition marches beyond Saheel Park
Several dozens of young people have begun to chant anti-government slogans in Nizami Street in the center of Baku. They marched in the street as they did on April 2. The police tried to detain them, but they escaped, losing only one of their pals.
Groups of young people are marching in the central streets and chanting slogans, while the police are trying to detain them. The April 2 scenario is reiterated (several actions are conducted in the entire city center).
Meanwhile, sources at the Public Chamber report about the detention of already 71 demonstrators, including the former MP Panah Hussein. Many of the detainees have been taken to the Nasimi district’s police department.
17:01 - Police banish people from Saahil Park and detain 5-aged child
The police have banished dozens of resting people from Saahil Park, including pensioners and their families. Police cordons are not allowing anybody to enter the park.
The police also detained a young woman with a 5-aged child near the Akhundov Library. Turan reported this happened after the child began to chant: ‘Freedom!’ and ‘Ouster!’
Ten opposition activists were detained near the Nizami Cinema and taken to the police station. Ten others were detained near Saahil Park.
Nearly a hundred people have crowded in Nizami Street. They are blockaded by police cordons.
16:10 Swedish journalists detained in Baku
Two women journalists from the National TV of Sweden (Channel 1) were detained in Saahil Square in Baku at about 16:00. Turan’s correspondent reported two people in plainclothes approached the Swedish women who were standing together with a group of local journalists and waiting for the opposition’s rally. They took the women to Police Station 39 without any reasonable explanation.
Therefore foreign journalists have become the first detainees during the opposition’s demonstration scheduled for April 17.
14:46 - Police blockade possible rally venues
The police have blockaded the central squares and streets in Baku since the noon today. They try to prevent the opposition’s unauthorized rally.
E.g. buses with the Baku Police quick response regiment’s staff are located near Hussein Jaavid Park close to the Elmler Akademiyasy Subway, near the Narimanov monument, in Railway Station Square near the Jaafar Jabbarly monument, near the Samaad Vurgun monument, in Fizuli Square opposite the Drama Theater, and in Saahil Square. Many policemen are observed on the Seaside Boulevard and a few of them in Nizami Street. All these places were venues of the most serious clashes between policemen and protesters on April 2.
The rally has been appointed to Saahil Square for 16.00, but the actions will be most probably performed in different places simultaneously.
14:42 - Police exert pressure on opposition figures in Sumgayit
The police prevent the Sumgayit people from trying to join the rally of protest in Baku today. Police cordons and cars patrol the residential areas, where activists of the Musavat, Popular Front, Classical Popular Front and National Independence parties live. When the activits appear in the street, they are immediately detained and taken away.
Police cordons also control the Sumgayit-Baku highway, stopping all the “suspicious” car and making them return to Sumgayit.
The opposition’s activists were summoned to the Sumgayit city’s police on April 15 and 16 and warned against their participation in the rally.
Kochari Naghibeyli heading the Western Azerbaijan NGO created by Azerbaijani people originally coming from Armenia was detained in Baku on April 16. The Nasimi district’s court sentenced him to 7 days of administrative arrest immediately.
Azad Alimli was detained in Keshla on April 17. He is still at the police station.
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