"Azadlyg" calls on public not to remain indifferent to paper's fate

Journalists of the Azerbaijani newspaper "Azadlyg" (Azadliq – Freedom) treat the suspension of their paper, arrest of its financial director and questioning of the staff at prosecutor's office as an attempt to "completely suppress the critical voice." They called on the public to react to what is happening.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that publication of "Azadlyg" was suspended on September 6 because of financial debts to the publishing house "Azerbaijan" for the printing and office rent.

On September 6 and 7, two employees of the newspaper, Khayal Babaev and Vidadi Mamedov, were summoned to the Investigating Department for Grave Crimes of the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) of Azerbaijan. Mamedov said that he was questioned about the activities of "Azadlyg".

"Azeri authorities are adamant in their intention to silence 'Azadlyg'. First, they arrested Faig Amirov, the paper's financial director; then, they created artificial obstacles to our banking operations. As a result, the paper had to stop. Now, they summon our employees to the GPO," - said Rakhim Gadjiev, the paper's first deputy editor-in-chief.

Khalid Agaliev, a member of the Media Rights Institute, believes that "Azadlyg" is pressed on because of its sharp criticism of the authorities; he added that the suspension of the paper would tell negatively on the situation with the freedom of the media in Azerbaijan.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.