Today, 13 July, under the chairmanship of judge Mirheydar Seyidov a hearing took place in the Binagadi District Court on the lawsuit of "Nota" Newspaper Editor-in-chief Substitute Sardar Alibayli against the Press Council and the Council’s Chairman Aflatun Amashov.
Parties made speeches during the hearing. Defendant’s representative R.Huseynzade said that they conducted an investigation in connection with articles in question on the basis of appeals made to the council, and the newspaper was included on the list of racketeering newspapers according to the decision of the commission.
Plaintiff’s representative Intigam Aliyev said that Press Council’s decision is unfounded. He emphasized that the council is not entitled to consider complaints in connection with this newspaper because “Nota” is not a member of the Press Council.
To a question from the lawyer whether the Council has the authority in its charter to declare a newspaper “racketeering newspaper,” R.Huseynzade said that the Press Council takes this step not according to its charter, but to a decision adopted during Council’s congress. Then I.Aliyev asked another question, “Can I inspect the prosecutor’s office according to the decision of my organization’s congress?” R.Huseynzade answered, “No, you cannot.”
Judge M.Seyidov scheduled the next hearing on this case for 5 June at 11:00 a.m.
"Nota" Newspaper Editor-in-chief Substitute Sardar Alibayli appealed to court regarding the Press Council’s inclusion “Nota” Newspaper’s name on the list of the racketeering newspapers. In the lawsuit the plaintiff demands that this decision be considered unfounded.
S.Alibeyli told IRFS that after “Nota” newspaper’s inclusion on the list of the racketeering newspapers, printing houses refused to print the newspaper, and therefore beginning the next week the newspaper will be printed under name “P.S.Nota.”