Elmar Huseynov, editor in chief of Monitor magazine would have turned 47 today if it was not for his sudden death. Nine years ago on March 2, 2005, he was brutally murdered on the footsteps to his apartment in Baku. The perpetrators of this crime are still to be found.
As it has been done for the past nine years, every year, on July 17, journalists, and human rights advocates visit Elmar’s grave, laying flowers and remembering the fearless writer. At an impromptu rally the visitors, friends and family talked about freedom of speech and Elmar’s valuable contribution to the development of independent journalism in Azerbaijan.
Elmar’s killer(s) greatly miscalculated their deed, hoping Elmar’s death would curb the freedom of expression in Azerbaijan. No matter what, each year, on Elmar’s birthday, on the days of international solidarity of the press and on the days of the national press, civil society expresses its alliance to the values this journalist so bravely fought for, here at his grave, said the columnist for Azadlig, Rovshan Hajibeyli.
During the visit to the grave, the head of the Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety Emin Huseynov said the founders of the Elmar Huseynov Foundation decided to ensure the return of all documents of the foundation, which were seized by the tax authorities and resume its activities at its earliest.
Sabir Huseynov, Elmar’s father thanked the audience for their attention to the memory of his son and expressed hope for Elmar’s murderer stand trial.
A bright publicist with exemplary citizenship, Elmar Huseynov was known as a tough and uncompromising critic of the current administration.
It is rather odd, that despite Turkish secret services revealing the names of the killers and handing the information to the authorities in Azerbaijan following the investigation, no progress has been made for bringing the perpetrators to justice. Authorities claim in their own version of the story, the killers were Georgian citizens of Azerbaijani origin. However, for no clearly explained reasons, no arrests been made.
Source:
Contact.az
