According to a press release that the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety received from “Mukhalifet” Newspaper Chief Editor Rovshan Kebirli, as of April “Mukhlifet” Newspaper will restore its publishing.
The paper stopped operating last May when Kebirli and “Mukhlifet” editor Yashar Agazade were arrested for libel and defamation on the basis of a lawsuit put forth by parliamentarian Jalel Aliyev, the president’s uncle. However both journalists were released through a presidential pardon decree on 27 December 2007.
According to the press release, “The newspaper will be published once a week, just like before. There are no changes to newspaper’s staff. During the work stoppage no employees left their positions.”