Azerbaijan Frees IRIB Reporter in Baku
News number: 9107130815 16:27 | 2012-12-27
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9107130815

TEHRAN (FNA)- Azerbaijan released an Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting
(IRIB)'s reporter in Baku after 10 months of imprisonment.

Anar Bayramli was freed following repeated requests by human rights
organizations and activists and after Azeri President Ilham Aliyev signed a
pardon order for 87 prisoners, including a number of political prisoners.

He was arrested on February 17 after Azeri police falsely incriminated him
for allegedly possessing drugs. A Baku court sentenced him to two years in
prison on June 11 while his charges had not been proven.

He was detained after someone had put drugs in a pocket of his coat which he
was not wearing.

The appeal court reduced his sentence from two years to 12 months on August
2 following broad protests by Azeri, Iranian and Turkish associations and
international human rights bodies.

More than 30 parties and social, media and political establishments in
Azerbaijan and tens of international circles, including Amnesty
International and Reporters without Borders and also a European Council's
reporter, condemned Bayramli's arrest and called him a political prisoner,
who had been detained for his professional working and his knowledge of
religious developments.