On December 14, in the Narimanov District Court, under the chairmanship of the Judge Elshane Valiyeva, a hearing on “Kurort” Stock Company chairman Akif Mammadov’s lawsuit against “Khural” Newspaper was conducted.
During the hearing, Judge Valiyeva adopted a decision that throughout the duration of the trial on this lawsuit “Khural” Newspaper will not be allowed to publish any article about A. Mammadov.
“Khural” Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Avez Zeynalli told this to the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety.
Zeynalli said that two articles; “Kurort” Stock Company chairman Akif Mammadov threatens businessman” and “Akif Mammadov’s ‘vorovskoy’ rules and mafia rules” were published in the newspaper in the 2-8 December 2007 and 9-15 December editions of the newspaper, respectively. These two articles were prepared after businessman Arastun Mirzeyev’s appealed to “Khural” Newspaper’s editorial office and gave an interview. Zeynalli also noted that Akif Mammadov’s own opinion was published in the first article. But on December 12, Mammedov filed a lawsuit against the newspaper on the basis of articles 147 (slander) and 148 (insult) of the criminal code. The preliminary hearing on this case is scheduled to take place on 4 January 2008. Mammedov wants Zeynalli to be imprisoned.