On 26 November Azadliq newspaper reporter Ramin Deko was called to the Yasamal district court’s department on execution of judgments, where he was required to pay off his defamation fine of 2,000 manat within 10 days. Deko informed IRFS about this today, on 27 November.
“This fine was levied following the defamation lawsuit of the Bina shopping center’s manager Kabira Mammadova. I told the bailiffs that I cannot afford to pay this sum within 10 days, as I don’t get salary in the recent two months after Azadliq’s bank account had been suspended” said Deko.
Background: Kabira Mammadova had sued the Azadliq newspaper for the article “Kabira Mammadova’s Eurovision Operation”, claiming damage to her good name and business reputation. The article claimed that Mammadova collected money from tenants (store managers) for the Eurovision song contest 2012. On October 22, 2012 the Yasamal district court partially granted the lawsuit, ordering Azadliq newspaper and its employee Ramin Deko to pay Mammadova 30,000 manat and 2,000 manat in compensation respectively.