
December 3, 2002 - 04:00 AMT

12:28 GMT
The number of political prisoners has not reduced in Azerbaijan. Among them there are lots of journalists whose only fault is that they do not want to hide the truth. Recently, saving herself from pursuits of the government officials, Irada Husseynova, a well known journalist, correspondent of the “Bakinskie Vedomosti” newspaper, applied to the German government asking a political asylum. Three criminal cases have been framed up against her. Among those who have made accusations against the journalist, were the brother of the country’s President, Jalil Aliyev, Defense Minister Safar Abiyev, Health Minister Ali Insanov, Minister of Culture Polad Byul-byul Oghli, Mayor of Baku Abutalibov. In 1999 Husseynova was sentenced to a one year imprisonment. Recently, the repressions have restarted. She was again suited because of new publications.