Sport For Rights: Joint Statement: Meydan TV Director Emin Milli Threatened for Critical Reporting on European Games

On 26 June, Meydan TV Director Emin Milli reported that he hadreceived a threat from the Azerbaijani Minister of Youth and Sport, Azad Rahimov,in connection with his critical reporting on the European Games, whichconcluded on 28 June in Baku.

Former political prisoner Milli heads MeydanTV, a Berlin-based online television station that provides alternative newscoverage of Azerbaijan. During the European Games, Meydan TV’s materials werewidely used by the international media, including stories on the Azerbaijanibus driver who crashedinto three Austrian swimmers, and the interview by a national televisionstation of a fake Britishtourist – both of which were highly embarrassing to the ruling regime.

Milli himself also gave more than 20 interviews on the games to theinternational media, and authored a popular piece for The Daily Beast, How Much Corruption Can One Game Hide?,which was critical of President Ilham Aliyev – whom Milli has stated he holdsresponsible for the threat against him.

According to Milli, the following threat reached him through anintermediary on behalf of the Sport Minister:

"What harmhas [the] Azerbaijani state done to you? We will get you wherever you are andthe state will punish you for this smear-campaign against the state that youhave organized. You will get punished for this. You will not be able to walkfreely in Berlin or anywhere else. You must know this".

As members of the Sport for Rights campaign, we resolutely condemnthe threat against Milli, which constitutes a serious violation of Milli’srights under Azerbaijani and international law. The threat also contradicts theOlympic Charter, which provides for press freedom and human dignity.

Sport for Rights calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to put an endto their ongoing attempts to silence critical reporting, and to take immediatesteps to improve fundamental freedoms in the country, including by releasing allthe journalists and human rights defenders currently behind bars for politicalreasons.

The campaign further calls on the European Olympic Committees tospeak out, publicly condemning the threat against Milli, as well as the broaderhuman rights crackdown taking place in the country.

Finally, Sport for Rights calls on the German authorities to provideMilli with immediate and full protection in light of this serious threatagainst him.

Supporting organisations:

ARTICLE19

CivilRights Defenders

Committeeto Protect Journalists

FreedomNow

HelsinkiFoundation for Human Rights

Human Rights House Foundation

Index on Censorship

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), within theframework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

InternationalPartnership for Human Rights

NESEHNUTI

NorwegianHelsinki Committee

PENAmerican Centre

PeopleIn Need

Platform

Polish Green Network

World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework ofthe Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders