Azerbaijani journalist reports on search in his apartment

The apartment rented by freelance journalist Islam Shikhaliev, who cooperates with the Azerbaijani Office of the "Radio Liberty", has been searched. During the search, his equipment and documents were confiscated. This was reported by Islam Shikhaliev himself.

At about 5:00 p.m. of September 26, the rented apartment was visited by staff members of the Investigating Department for Serious Crimes of the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan and the Chief Department for Combating Organized Crime (known as GUBOP) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Islam Shikhaliev.

"The search lasted for about three hours. Law enforcers confiscated all photographic equipment, including a PC, a camera, a microphone, a mobile phone, and a tripod. They also seized bank cheques and other documents, including an ID card, a military ID card, and a passport. Later they gave my ID and military ID cards back to me; however, they took my foreign passport away with them," Islam Shikhaliev has said.

According to the journalist, the search "was conducted with violations of the law." "I was not informed about the search, and it was conducted without presence of any advocate or any legal representative," the journalist has stated.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.