October 8, the Baku Court of Appeal sentenced Editor-in-Chief of the Azerbaijani Nota daily Sardar Alibeyli and the staff member Faramaz Allahverdiyev to a three months’ imprisonment on a charge of libel and insult. According to the Azerbaijan-based APA news agency, the journalists were arrested for their publications about Tahmasib Novruzov, Freedom Movement Union leader.

Earlier, another journalist, Ramiz Tagiyev was sentenced to six months of corrective labour.

Today the Media Law Institute made a statement, calling on Azerbaijani Government to release the journalists and “to apply European standards in the legal concepts considering punishment for libel and insult.” According to the Media Law Institute, the arrest contradicts international agreements Azerbaijan acceded to.