Appeals have been made to European Court of Human Rights because of two lawsuits filed by Journalist Aytan Mammadova and Lawyer Elchin Sadigov in connection with information inquiries that were not responded to.
Country courts did not fulfill their lawsuits. Lawyer Intigam Aliyev who is defending the rights of Mammadova and Sadigov in ECHR informed the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety of this.
In the appeal of journalist Mammadova it is noted that on 16 November 2006 in the hearing conducted in the Grave Crimes Court on the case “Case of Haji Mammadov and others” a ban was imposed on covering court hearings in the form of stenogram according to the motion of state prosecutor Yusifiov.
One day after this, on 17 October, after Jafarov filed another motion, “Azadlig” newspaper employees were banned from participating in the hearing.
On 14 February 2007 Lawyer Sadigov addressed an information inquiry to Supreme Court to prepare the report of the mass media related cases considered by Azerbaijan Republic Courts for 2006 within the framework of a project conducted by Media Rights Institute. The Supreme Court did not reply to the inquiry.
It is noted in both appeals that the decisions of Azerbaijani Courts on these cases violate the applicants’ rights to fair court investigation and to obtain effective means of right defense envisaged in articles 6 and 13 of the European Convention.
In the appeal of journalist Mammadova it is noted that on 16 November 2006 in the hearing conducted in the Grave Crimes Court on the case “Case of Haji Mammadov and others” a ban was imposed on covering court hearings in the form of stenogram according to the motion of state prosecutor Yusifiov.
One day after this, on 17 October, after Jafarov filed another motion, “Azadlig” newspaper employees were banned from participating in the hearing.
On 14 February 2007 Lawyer Sadigov addressed an information inquiry to Supreme Court to prepare the report of the mass media related cases considered by Azerbaijan Republic Courts for 2006 within the framework of a project conducted by Media Rights Institute. The Supreme Court did not reply to the inquiry.
It is noted in both appeals that the decisions of Azerbaijani Courts on these cases violate the applicants’ rights to fair court investigation and to obtain effective means of right defense envisaged in articles 6 and 13 of the European Convention.