On 9 May former owner of the Khachmaz-based Qutb (Pole) Broadcasting Company Mahir Orujov told the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) how he had been deprived of his channel through fraud. According to Orujov, the name of the current owner of Qutb TV is kept secret.
“In 2010 I decided to sell the Qutb TV to someone I had not previously known, upon the advice of Regional TV executive director Mehsim Mehsimov who was also present while we signed the sale contract . However after the documents had been signed, I was not paid full amount of the money as we had agreed.
It was a small amount and was hardly enough to pay off the company’s debts. But then I learned that they had me sign for a much larger amount. They bought the channel using the name of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, saying that the purchaser is the Foundation, but the owner’s name is not disclosed. According to the terms of transaction, they had to transfer the money into a bank account which I would then withdraw. But they did not transfer the money.
They paid me a small amount in cash, promising to pay the rest later. And then everything was covered up. I’ve sought for 3 years to obtain the sale contract from the Khachmaz City Notary Office #1. However notary public Firdovsi Mammadov refuses to hand it to me, because of which I cannot take the matter to the court” said Orujov.