Detained Azeri journalist’s family gets political asylum in SwitzerlandDecember 22, 2014 - 16:14 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Family members of Azerbaijani journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov detained on April 18 in Ankara were granted political asylum in Switzerland, the court’s official notification said. As Panormama.am reported, citing Caucasian Knot, the Bern court studied the case on the status of family members of Rauf Mirkadirov December 17 and heard the testimonies by Mirkadirov‘s wife Adel Babakhanova and their elder daughter Souad. According to Azerbaijani Turan news agency, some documents have been provided by international human rights organizations and relevant agencies in Switzerland. Rauf Mirkadirov, columnist at Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo, was arrested on April 18 in Ankara on charges of expiration of documents. On April 19, Mirkadirov was deported to Azerbaijan, where he immediately was arrested and put in custody by the Ministry of National Srcurity on suspicion of high treason. On April 21, the court in Baku sanctioned his arrest for three months. Mirkadirov is accused of cooperating with Armenia’s special services and divulging secret state-level information. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |