In Azerbaijan, journalists worry about confiscated property of "Khural" newspaper

Avaz Zeinally, the editor-in-chief of the Azerbaijani newspaper "Khural", believes that the confiscation of property of the newspaper is connected with an increase in publication frequency of the newspaper or the authorities' response to the criticism of the Ilham Aliev's interview.

Avaz Zeinally, the editor-in-chief of the "Khural" newspaper, believes that the bailiffs "received a political order caused by increased publication frequency of the newspaper".

He also believes that the bailiffs' visit might be a response to the critical material published by the newspaper about a recent interview of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev to the "Al-Jazeera" TV Channel.

The editor-in-chief of the "Yeni Musavat" newspaper called inventory of the property of the "Khural" as "another act of pressure on the free media".

The director of the "Turan" information agency also condemned the seizure of the property of the editors' office. He announced his intention to raise the issue at the international conference on media freedom, opening on October 20 in Tbilisi.

According to the representatives of the "Turan" agency, the "Khural" newspaper is "remarkable for its sharp criticism of the top-ranking officials, and, therefore, it constantly faces legal pressure; during its existence, the newspaper faced 30 trials".

The Board of Editors of Azerbaijan treated the confiscation of the property belonging to the newspaper "Khural" as "another act of government's pressure to freedom of the media in Azerbaijan".

The media executives urged the officials to stop persecution of the newspaper "Khural" and other media and "to begin a dialogue on recovery of the Azerbaijani media from economic and creative crisis."

Comments of the Azerbaijani authorities in connection with the situation on confiscation of the property of the newspaper "Khural" are unavailable.