Azerbaijan journalist beaten to death after criticising footballer on Facebook

Following his post on Facebook, a man called him, posing as the cousin of the soccer player.

Aliyev was a well-known independent journalist who had previously worked for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, one of Azerbaijan’s leading media freedom organization until it was forced to shut down last year after its bank account was frozen, its office raided, and its director, Emin Huseynov, reportedly harassed.

In light of Aliyev’s murder, Gabala FK said yesterday that Huseynov will be suspended until more information is known.

Aliyev claimed he then called the police, but “they didn’t do anything”.

Aliyev had criticised the behaviour of Gabala striker Javid Huseynov who waved a Turkish flag after the August 6 match and allegedly made an offensive gesture at a journalist, reports said.

But colleagues and rights activists warned that the football story could be a red herring, and pointed to a history of threats and intimidation against Aliyev and the broader climate of fear in Azerbaijan.

Aliyev wrote that Huseynov “did not know how to behave” and should not play in matches in Europe.

“Ismayilov was accepted in the reserve team of “Gabala” as a perspective football player on July 20, 2013, but remained in the reserve for just six months, and then was removed from the team”, said the message of the club.

Azerbaijani journalist Rasim Aliyev died yesterday in a Baku hospital after being severely beaten by a group of attackers on Saturday.

The club released a statement after the incident, condemning the actions of the fans andsaying they will remove Husenyov from the squad until further notice. When he arrived at the meeting point Aliyev was assaulted by at least five people.

The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has ordered a “swift and comprehensive” investigation into the journalist’s death, with an aide telling the state news agency Azartac that he was “seriously concerned” about the attack, and would oversee the investigation personally.

They urged authorities Monday to conduct a full and transparent probe into the attack on Rasim Aliyev and to bring the assailants to justice. His sister said he died a day later of internal bleeding and injuries.

“Regardless of who is behind this crime…it is clear that Rasim’s death resulted from the regime generating chaos and creating opportunities to commit crimes against journalists”, said Gambar, a leader of the largest opposition party, Musavat.

Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative journalist and RFE/RL contributor who has reported extensively on the financial dealings of President Aliyev and his family, is now on trial on charges she says are politically motivated.