Azeri Journalists Rally To Demand End To Harassment

The demonstrators called on the Azerbaijani authorities to find and prosecute those responsible for harassing opposition and independent media.

In particular, the participants criticized the government for what they see as a deliberate attempt to delay a probe into the March 2005 murder of Elmar Huseynov, the editor of the "Monitor" opposition weekly and they condemned the assault on opposition reporter Fikret Huseynli, who was kidnapped and left for dead on March 5 in Baku.

Friends and relatives of Huseynov accuse the government of obstructing justice and believe high-ranking officials ordered the assassination. President Ilham Aliyev has denied the claims.

(Turan, APA)