OSCE welcomes release of Director of "Kanal 13" Internet television

Baku. 6 April. REPORT.AZ/ The OSCE has today welcomed the release of Aziz Orujov, director of Internet TV "Kanal 13" functioning in Azerbaijan.

Report informs, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir stated.

He mentioned that OSCE media freedom office is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijani Government regarding criminal cases of other journalists and to help in improvement of situation in the area of media freedom in the country.

Notably, on May 2, 2017, A.Orujov was detained on charges of offering resistance to police officers, and the court sentenced him to administrative penalty in the form of 30 days of imprisonment. And on June 1, the criminal proceedings were brought against him at the Department for investigation of Cases on Grave Crimes under Chief Prosecutor’s Office, and A.Orujov was laid a charge on the grounds of clauses 192 (illegal entrepreneurship) and 308 (abuse of power).

Then the ultimate sanction in the form of 4 months’ imprisonment was chosen regarding A.Orujov by decision of Nasimi district court.

And by judgement of Baku Court on Grave Crimes he was sentenced to 6 years in prison.

On April 5, the Supreme Court considered the cassation appeal of A.Orujov. Based on the court’s judgement, the charge laid against him on the grounds of sub-clause 192.2 (illegal entrepreneurship) was terminated, and the grounds for his crime were switched over from sub-clause 308.2 to sub-clause 308.1.

The court delivered a conditional sentence decision regarding him, and A.Orujov was released.