Journalist arrested for bribery in Azerbaijan

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has been informed at the State Office of Public Prosecutor of Azerbaijan that a criminal case was initiated against Mushfig Guseinov, journalist of the "Bizim Yol" (Our Way) newspaper, on the fact of receiving a bribe - M. Guseinov extorted a bribe from Rizvan Aliev, head of the office of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population, in exchange for non-publication in the newspaper of scandalous information about him. At the moment of taking a bribe in the sum of 3,500 US dollars he was arrested.

In his turn, Bakhaddin Khaziev, editor-in-chief of the "Bizim Yol" newspaper, has stated in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that should this information be true, he will ask all the journalists' organizations not to defend Mushfig Guseinov, since by this act the latter has blurred not only the fair name of the newspaper, but also all the journalists' community. However, at the same time, the editor-in-chief expressed his doubts on the truthfulness of this information.

The Sabail District Court has ruled to use the freedom restriction measure - a three-month arrest - in relation to Mr Guseinov. In his articles journalist Guseinov was mainly critical towards the government's economic policy and wrote about negative phenomena in the sphere of privatization, and on corruption issues.