Over 20 journalists and technical staff were called into questioning over the past three days. On December 28, Azadliq Radio's lawyer was also called into questioning in a surprise decision. As a result most of the staff went into interrogation without an accompanying them lawyer.
Originally radio staff approved coming in for questioning today, December 29. However, most of them were brought to the prosecutor's office on Sunday without any prior notice or a phone call.
Rick Stengel, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs tweet on Azerbaijan's crackdown
The U.S. State Department deeply concerned
Monday December 29, spokesman Jeff Rathke answered questions on Azerbaijan's on-going crackdown at a press conference.
Rathke said “we are deeply concerned by these steps [closure of VoA, RFE/RL,BBC and the pressure of international non-governmental organizations]. We have raised our concerns about these activities with senior officials in Azerbaijani government. And indeed Secretary himself raised these concerns just a few days ago with President Aliyev. So clearly this is a topic we take quite seriously. It remains on our agenda and will keep raising it but I am not going to prejudge anything further."
“US takes freedom of expression and freedom of the press very seriously. And so of course we raise our concerns when we have them" said Rathke answering the question on concrete steps taken by the United States when addressing these issues with heads of states."
"This is smtg we are addressing on the highest levels."
Watch Rathke here (Azerbaijan part begins at 15.46).
"This is a new low" says NED's Miriam Lanskoy
"I don't even know where to begin. So many people have gone to jail, so many organizations closed [...] Its been a terrible year for civil society".
Azerbaijan is on a path shifting closer to countries of Central Asia said Lanskoy.