Eynulla Fatullayev

English PEN welcomes the news that Azerbaijani editor Eynulla Fatullayev
has been pardoned and released from prison.  Fatullayev, who has been
imprisoned for almost four years, was released by the authorities ahead
of Azerbaijan’s Independence Day on 28 May.  He is already at home and
has spoken on the phone to campaigners and journalists, saying he is
“optimistic” about the future.

Fatullayev had been imprisoned
since 2007 on charges of defamation, terrorism, incitement of ethnic
hatred, tax evasion and drug possession. However it is widely believed
that these charges were fabricated and politically-motivated, and that
he was being held solely for peacefully expressing critical views.  In
2010, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled that
Fatullayev should be released, a call that was ignored by the
Azerbaijani Government until today.

Since his imprisonment,
English PEN has campaigned for Fatullayev’s release and for greater
freedom of expression in Azerbaijan.  He was declared an Honorary Member
of English PEN in 2008, and PEN members have relentlessly lobbied the
Azerbaijani Government on his behalf.  In April 2009, authors Alev Adil
and Eva Hoffman visited the country on behalf of English PEN’s Writers
in Prison Committee, and met Fatullayev’s parents.

Alev Adil said:

Eynulla
is a talented and energetic young journalist. He showed great courage
and determination whilst in gaol. He owes his freedom in no small part
to the relentless and passionate efforts of his family, friends and the
many fellow writers in Azerbaijan who campaigned on his behalf against
his unjust imprisonment. His release gives all those of us who care
about freedom of expression a reason to be optimistic.

Gillian Slovo, President of English PEN, said:

This
has been a long term international campaign.  We are proud to have
worked side-by-side with ARTICLE 19, Index on Censorship, Amnesty
International and the Media Diversity Institute.  This release is proof
that if we keep up the pressure on governments with a poor human rights
record, they can be persuaded to do the right thing.

Robert Sharp, Campaigns Manager at English PEN, said:

We
are delighted by this release, but it must herald the start of
fundamental improvements to the law in Azerbaijan. The Government must
guarantee everyone’s right to free speech, even if they express
dissident views. We are concerned that Azerbaijan’s proposed
‘cyber-crime’ laws could restrict debate, and we urge President Aliyev
to rethink these proposals.  

PEN protestors wear masks bearing Eynulla’s face at a protest outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London on 20 April 2011, just weeks before his release from prison. Video / Photos

Background:

Eynulla Fatullayev is a former reporter for independent newspaper Monitor and founder and former editor-in-chief of two independent Azerbaijani newspapers, the Russian-language Realny Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani-language Gundelik Azerbaycan. Both newspapers have been openly critical of the government, its policies and corruption in Azerbaijani society.

Fatullayev’s investigative reporting has made him deeply unpopular with President Ilham Aliyev’s government and the security forces: between 2001 and 2004, he faced several lawsuits, was found guilty of criminal defamation, and was violently attacked in Baku. He was also the victim of death threats. He further angered authorities when he began to investigate the 2005 murder of Monitor‘s editor-in-chief Elmar Huseynov, linking government officials to the crime. In 2007, he was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for defamation, terrorism, incitement of ethnic hatred and tax evasion. In July 2010, Faullyev was sentenced to a further two and a half years’ imprisonment for drug possession after heroin was allegedly found in his cell. The charge is widely regarded to be fabricated. Fatullayev has received thousands of letters of support while in prison, and journalists from around the world have campaigned for his release.

In April 2010, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decreed that Fatullayev should be released immediately. As members of the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan is obliged to conform with European Court decisions. Instead, the Azerbaijani authorities proceeded with the drug charges as the ECHR were expected to reach their verdict. Following the ruling, they appealed the result. In October 2010, their appeal was categorically rejected and they were instructed once more to release Fatullayev.

UPDATE – AUGUST 2011

We were delighted to learn that Eynulla Fatullayev has finally received compensation from the Azerbaijani government, in accordance with the European Court of Human Rights ruling. For more information, please click here.