Azerbaijani journalist's daughter kidnapped

On January 2, 2020, the 4-year-old daughter of Azerbaijani freelance journalist Ulviyya Shahin was kidnapped.

Ulviyya Shahin told reporters that the kidnapping was a “warning” related to her article on elections and presidential reforms. The journalist's daughter was freed unharmed five hours later.

According to Arif Aliyev, chairman of the New Generation Journalists Union (NGJU), Ulviyya Shahin, an independent journalist, had received anonymous threats to her family due to her critical commentaries, especially on elections and presidential reforms, in the days leading up to the incident. Then, on January 2, unidentified assailants abducted her daughter in front of their yard on Yavar Hasanov Street, Binagadi District, local news reports said.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) stated that threats and harassment of journalists have become commonplace in Azerbaijan. "We call on authorities to investigate and arrest those responsible for abducting Ulviyya Shahin’s daughter and to guarantee the safety of her and her family."

Justice for Journalists, the Council of Europe, and several international organizations have also called for an end to the persecution of journalists and their families in Azerbaijan.

The independent journalist, Ulviyya Shahin, told reporters that her daughter was abducted in the afternoon while playing with other children in the yard of their home:

“Her aunt was also in the yard. She said the people who kidnapped my daughter were in civilian clothes. We immediately called the police. About ten minutes later, I was summoned to the Binagadi District Police Department. The head of the department, Musa Musayev, informed me that my daughter was there and told me that if the article in question was deleted from the news website, they would return my daughter to me. When I said I would not delete the article, he said, 'Then you won’t see your daughter again.'"

“I felt my daughter's life was in danger. I had to make many changes to the article or risk losing her. Once satisfied with the changes, the police chief ordered my daughter’s release. She was terrified and traumatized. They also warned me not to tell anyone about the incident and to be more cautious in my future articles, threatening my daughter’s life again."

The journalist recounted experiencing similar fear in 2017:

“On July 27, 2017, my ex-husband took my daughter and hid her from me for 45 days, in collaboration with Sabunchu district police officers. My daughter was only two years old at the time. I was less afraid because I knew she was with her father, and he was responsible for her. I didn’t tell anyone then, but my daughter was deeply traumatized by the separation. My ex-husband, Hajiyev A., also tried to hinder my journalistic activities, as both he and his family feared the threats.”

To read the article that caused the journalist to be threatened:

https://ayna.az/secki-dairelerinde-ele-ejdahalar-var-ki-onlar-artiq-secilibler

https://pressklub.az/ekskluziv/islahatlar-ilinin-ozellikleri/

(It should also be noted that the article has been deleted from many news websites and has undergone significant changes.)