On 3 April the Supreme Court, under Judge Zakir Guliyev, heard the cassation appeal filed by Yeni Musavat against Appellate Court decision to uphold 50,000 AZN fine imposed on the newspaper following a lawsuit filed by Gilan Gabala Cannery LLC, musavat.com reported on April 4.
According to musavat.com, after hearing speeches by prosecution and defense, the judge denied the cassation appeal maintaining the 50,000 AZN fine.
Background: On 31 July 2011 Baku Administrative-Economic Court #2, chaired by judge Khalig Imanov, heard the lawsuit filed by Gilan Gabala Cannery LLC against Yeni Musavat newspaper. The Cannery sued the Yeni Musavat over the article titled “Jale is not 100% pure and natural juice” published in the newspaper in 2009. The judge partially granted the case and imposed 50,000 AZN fine on the newspaper. On November 14, 2012 the Baku Appeals Court denied Yeni Musavat appeal against the decision of the first instance court.