Free the Azeri journalists

Committee to Protect Journalists on the upheld convictions

From CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon:

“Rafiq Tagi and Samir Sadagatoglu have already spent eight months in prison simply for expressing an opinion. While we recognize some readers may have been offended by that opinion, there is no justification for jailing journalists for what they publish or threatening them with death. We call on Azerbaijani authorities to overturn this conviction and free both journalists immediately.”

The CPJ named Azerbaijan one of the top 10 backsliders on press freedom this year.

Sadagatoglu and Tagi's appeal denied

I saw this coming, but it's still good reason to be angry:

"A Baku appeal court on 6 July upheld the prison sentences imposed on 4 May on Samir Sadagatoglu, the editor of the weekly Sanat, and Rafik Tagi, one of his journalists, for an article critical of Islam, entitled 'Europe and Us,' that was published on 6 November 2006. Sadagatoglu was sentenced to four years in prison, and Tagi to three years."

Cases like this really give us a reason to pause and be thankful that we can live and work in a country with a free press. "Europe and Us" simply discussed whether European societies were more tolerant and more successful than Islamic ones, a subject that could be debated at any given moment in an American paper. "There are no offensive words addressed to the Prophet," Tagi said. "On the other hand, we do not live in a religious state."

LEARN ABOUT THE CASE: Samir Sadagatoglu and Rafik Tagi - Journalists jailed for 'insulting' Islam

MORE: Press freedom cases to watch

Demand freedom for Samir Sadagatoglu and Rafik Tagi

Who are they, you might ask? Tagi wrote an article for the Senet weekly newspaper last year titled "Europe and Us," comparing the successfulness of European and Islamic societies and taking into account tolerance and predominant religious beliefs. Sadagatoglu was editor of Senet. When asked to retract the article, they refused. The two Muslim men were tried and convicted for "insulting Islam"; Tagi was sentenced to three years, Sadagatoglu received four years in prison. Not only were fatwas placed on their lives, but their lives were threatened in the courtroom -- and journalists simply covering the proceedings received threats as well!

You may think Azerbaijan is a world away, but those of us lucky enough to have free voices owe it to these two brave journalists to speak up for them -- and for the other Azeri journalists in danger. That's what this site is for. Here you'll find information on the case, press freedom in Azerbaijan, and other instances of "insulting Islam" charges being used to silence journalists and bloggers. Please contribute your comments and share the link!