Iranian reporter detained in Azerbaijan

An Azeri citizen of Iranian decent, Anar Bayramli, who worked for Iranian TV, has been detained in Baku on charges of drug possession, the Azeri news website contact.az reported. Bayramov, 31, who has worked for the Iranian TV for five years, made reports for various TV channels, including the satellite Sahar TV, famous for its criticism of Azeri authorities. "Last night about 6:00 p.m. five police officers came to our place and took Anar without presenting any documents about his detention," the detainee's brother Eldar Bayramli told contact.az the following day after Bayramli was detained on Friday. The brother also said that over the last 20 days, the journalist was repeatedly summoned to the police station and asked about his political views. About 0.4 grams of heroin was seized from Bayramli, another Azeri news portal, anspress.com, said citing police. Bayramli’s brother also told contact.az that he had no doubts that the drugs was planted by the police. Ties between Tehran and Baku have deteriorated in recent years. Last month, Azerbaijan arrested two people allegedly linked to Iran’s intelligence services. Azeri authorities said the two men were plotting attacks against foreigners, including Israel’s envoy in Baku. Tehran in response accused Azerbaijan of colluding with the Israeli intelligence in the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist, Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, on January 11.