In latest provocative move, authorities say heroin found on imprisoned journalist

Eynulla Fatullayev, a newspaper editor who is serving an eight-year sentence in a high-security, prison, could face an additional three-year jail term after 0.22 grams of heroin were allegedly found in his clothes on 29 December, in what appears to be the latest provocative move in the government’s persecution of opposition and independent journalists. “Azerbaijan’s leaders seem ready to stop at nothing in order to keep Fatullayev behind bars,” Reporters Without Borders said. “With his complaint against Azerbaijan due to be examined soon by the European Court of Human Rights, this is an extremely opportune development for those opposed to his release.” The press freedom organisation added: “President Aliev should make it clear to the country’s authorities that they should stop resorting to procedures that fool no one about their purpose and just harm Azerbaijan’s image.” The authorities say they are investigating the discovery of 0.22 grams of heroin during a search of Fatullayev’s cell at prison camp No. 12 (12 km outside Baku) on 29 December. He could get an additional three-year jail sentence if found guilty of possessing drugs. He has been placed in solitary confinement since the discovery. The founder and editor of the weekly Realny Azerbaijan and the daily Gundelik Azerbaijan, Fatullayev was sentenced to 30 months in prison on 20 April 2007 under article 14.2 of the criminal code for allegedly defaming and insulting Azerbaijanis in comments he was alleged to have posted online. The posts accused the Azerbaijani armed forces of sharing responsibility with their Armenian counterparts for the deaths of hundreds of civilians during an attack by Armenian troops in 1992 on the village of Khojali in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. His sentence was increased to eight years in prison in July 2007 after he was found guilty on additional charges of terrorism and inciting racial and religious hatred. Fatullayev’s persecution by the Azerbaijani authorities has been referred by his lawyer to the European Court of Human Rights, which is due to consider the case shortly. A respected journalist, Fatullayev used to work for the magazine Monitor, whose editor, Elmar Husseynov, was murdered in March 2005. The Russian-language daily that Fatullayev founded, Realny Azerbaijan, was outspoken in its criticism of the government and had a print run of 30,000. The authorities closed both of his newspapers following his arrest and many of their employees were harassed by the police. This would not be the first time the authorities have brought a spurious drug charge against an outspoken journalist. Sakit Zahidov, a writer and reporter for the leading opposition daily, Azadlig, was sentenced to three years in prison in October 2006 on a clearly trumped-up charge of drug possession. One other journalist is currently detained in Azerbaijan in addition to Fatullayev. It is Zahidov’s brother, Azadlig editor Ganimat Zahidov.