The complaints of “Mukhalifat” Newspaper Editor-in-chief Rovshan Kabirli and “Mukhalifat” Newspaper employee Yashar Agazade have been sent to European Court of Human Rights.
According to monitorinq.az site, citing information from Intigam Aliyev, the journalists claim that their rights to a fair trial and freedom of expression, both which are envisaged in the European Court of Human Rights, have been violated.
It is noted in the information that Azerbaijan Republic Lawyers Colleague Presidium Chairman Azer Tagiyev filed a lawsuit against “Mukhalifat” newspaper Editor-in-chief Rovshan Kabirli and correspondent Yashar Agazade in the Yasamal District Court after an article titled “Who should be animals’ lawyer?” was published in “Mukhalifat” newspaper on April 15 2006, claiming that the article contained information damaging to his honor and dignity. Fulfilling the lawsuit, on 19 March the court issued a decision to institute a 5000 AZN fine against the newspaper and 5000 AZN fine against Rovshan Kabirli and Yashar Agazade each, and the newspaper had to publish a refutation. Since the complaints against this decision to higher instances were not fulfilled, the journalists appealed to European Court of Human Rights.