Human Rights Defenders Chingiz Ganizade and Elchin Behbudov have sued “Milletim” Newspaper Editor-in-chief Faramaz Novruzoglu. The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety was told this by F.Novruzoglu.
“Chingiz Ganizade filed a lawsuit under articles 147.2 (accusing someone in grave or especially grave crimes) and 148 (insult) of the Criminal Code in the special format due to my series of articles in “Milletim” newspaper in April and May about criminal cases in prisons and concealing of these cases by human rights defenders. And Elchin Behbudov filed a lawsuit in civil format and demands that I pay 100 000 AZN in fines,” said Novruzoglu. “In those articles I emphasized that none of NGO Chairpersons are engaged in normal right defense except Institute for Peace and Democracy Chairperson Leyla Yunus and IRFS Chairman Emin Huseynov. Therefore, neither Leyla Yunus nor Emin Huseynov is allowed to conduct monitoring in prisons.”
According to F.Novruzoglu, both of the lawsuits will be considered by Narimanov District Court Judge Arif Ismayilov.
A hearing will be held on 4 August at 3:00 p.m. on E.Behbudov’s lawsuit. And on 5 August at 4:00 p.m. a hearing will take place on Chingiz Ganizade’s lawsuit.