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Due to his career speaking out against the government – which included a video mocking the president’s penchant for German donkeys – Emin Milli is no longer able to call Azerbaijan home.



Milli and his colleague Adnan Hajizada, who became know as the donkey bloggers, spent 16 months in prison on “hooliganism” charges for their trouble.

According to rights monitors Freedom House, Azerbaijan has a dismal record when it comes to freedom of the press. The environment has deteriorated sharply in recent years, with violence and prison sentences the norm for opposition journalists.

Free Khadija

Investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova was arrested a year ago on Saturday, and later sentenced to seven-and-half years for “economic crimes” – charges she has said are politically motivated.

Previously Ismayilova had said that if an arrest was the price to pay for exposing human rights then it was worth it.

Silence over European Games in Azerbaijan is a grim indication of future | Owen Gibson Read more

With Ismayilova and many of her contemporaries in jail, Azerbaijan hosted the inaugural European Games, has been an active member on the Council of Europe and set its sights on hosting a leg of the European Grand Prix in June.

Emin Milli (@eminmilli) @MeydanTV 's 4 journalists have not been officially allowed today to leave #Azerbaijan #TravelBan #EuropeanGames pic.twitter.com/DkEKGMuj0k

Any questions?

Milli now runs an independent Azeri news site Meydan TV from Berlin where he has been afforded special protection, and Hajizada is studying in the US.

In a new film about his life in exile Milli emphasises the importance of independent media outlets in holding the “mafia-style government” to account.

He’ll join us for a live Q&A on Monday 7 December from 12pm - 1pm to answer your questions about Azerbaijan, being jailed and receiving death threats.

He can also answer questions about the work of his colleagues including Ismayilova.

Any questions? Post them in comments below or join us live on Friday. Alternatively you can tweet them @GuardianNewEast

