On September 13, Baku Appeals Court chaired by judge Ismayil Veliyev denied Azadlig newspaper’s appeal against the June 13, 2012 decision of the Yasamal District Court, imposing financial penalty on the newspaper, following a suit filed by Baku Metro head Tagi Ahmadov, to protect honor and dignity and receive compensation for “moral damages”, Azadlig newspaper lawyer Fariz Namazli told the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) on September 13.
The lawyer deemed the decision unfair and plans to appeal against it.
Baku Metro head Tagi Ahmadov had appealed to Yasamal District Court against Azadlig newspaper, claiming that his dignity, honor, and business reputation were insulted in an article titled “Tagi Ahmadov appropriated 5 kopecks” published in the April 8, 2012 issue of the newspaper, which noted that after the metro fares had been raised to 20 kopecks, it became impossible to use 5 kopecks previously loaded into metro cards. Ahmadov asked the court to require the newspaper to issue a retraction and to pay 200 000 AZN in damages. On June 13, 2012 Yasamal District Court ruled that the newspaper must publish a retraction and pay damages of 30 000 manats to Tagi Ahmadov.