On Tuesday 7 March, the European External Action Service (EEAS) criticised the two-year prison sentence handed down on 3 March by a court in Baku to Azerbaijani blogger Mehman Huseynov on a charge of slander.
The sentence given to Huseynov, after he reported that he was "tortured during a brief incarceration in January", "raises serious questions both as regards respect for freedom of expression and due process of law", the EEAS stated in a press release. Saying that Huseynov was known in Azerbaijan for his efforts to expose corruption, the EEAS believed that "on the face of it", his sentence appears "clearly disproportionate to the alleged crime". The EEAS also called for an immediate investigation into the reports "of serious concern" about Huseynov's illegal arrest, alleged ill-treatment, and irregularities in the subsequent court proceeding that ended in his conviction. "Mr Huseynov should be a witness in a credible and independent investigation of these allegations, seeking accountability for the perpetrators, as appropriate, not in jail", the EEAS added.
The EEAS stated that the EU expects Azerbaijan to respect its international commitments both as regards fundamental freedoms and due process. It added that respect for freedom of expression is vital in any democratic society. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)