Two years ago at the Amnesty UK Media Awards, we honoured Azerbaijani newspaper editor Eynulla Fatullayev with the AIUK Special Award for Journalism Under Threat. Eynulla is an outspoken journalist who has been imprisoned since 2007 on a series of trumped up charges, including defamation, terrorism and incitement to ethnic hatred.
Even though the European Court of Human Rights have quashed some of the charges and called for his release, he remains under lock and key on a more recent conviction for drugs possession brought to dodge the ECHR ruling. We firmly believe that all the charges against Eynulla have been fabricated to silence his critical reporting of the Azerbaijani government, and that Eynulla is a prisoner of conscience.
As we prepare for the 2011 Media Awards, we’re renewing our calls to free Eynulla Fatullayev with a twitter action led by Channel 4’s Jon Snow. Journalists will be taking the action at tonight’s awards – we need you to join them.
Take our twitter photo action – Eynulla Fatullayevi Azad Et!
What to do:
- Download and print our Amnesty placard (on white, or on black), or get creative with the message “Eynulla Fatullayevi Azad Et!”, which is “Free Eynulla Fatullayev!” in Azeri.
- Take a photo of yourself with our placard or your own version
- Tweet your picture with the following message:
I’m calling on @presidentaz to free wrongly imprisoned journalist #Eynulla Fatullayev in #Azerbaijan [link to your pic]
Please keep both of the hashtags so we can find your image and so the message reaches people interested in Azerbaijan. - Send a second message encouraging your followers to take part:
Join me and send your own message urging the release of Eynulla Fatullayev – find out how at http://amn.st/eynulla - If you don’t want to take a photo, please join in and send a tweet to @presidentaz – remember to add both hashtags so we can see it!
Have a look at the pictures being tweeted to @presidentaz in our lovely twitter widget:
UPDATE, 25th May: What an amazing response! We’ve seen well over 600 tweets so far, and an unexpected response from Azerbaijan – check our new blog post for details.
You can do your country great credit in the wider world by releasing Eynulla Fatullayev.
In the name of humanity; what have you to lose in releasing this man.
Improve your image in the World and release him now.
Trust you will listen to the growing calls for the immediate release of Eynulla Fatullayev. Failure to do so will only damage Azerbaijan’s international reputation further. Is that really in your country’s best interest?
Prove to the rest of the World you are not a bulling little prat
Please let us count on your support to free Eynulla Fatullayev now!
We call you to release Eynulla Fatullayev! It will help you change your negative image
Amnesty you are wrong! Stop pressure on Azerbaijan.
Where were all of you when the human rights abuses happened in Nagorno Karabakh ? Where were you when Azeri journalists were killed? Why didn’t you hold any campaing about? You start interference Azerbaijan’s issues for one bastard but you’re blind for other human right abuses. What a shame!
For the sake of the santity of Freedom of the press and freedom of expression release Eynulla Fatullayev immediately. Oh and Defender, Amnesty stands up for the rights of supressed journalists everywhere.
It’s a great campaign, thx Amnesty! and Thx everybody for your support!
@Defender, iqtidarin sukasi oldun, beledi
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, EYNULLA WILL BE FREE! AWESOME! THANKS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, THANKS EVERYONE