In Baku, court decides to block websites of opposition media

In Azerbaijan, the court has satisfied a request of the Ministry of Communications to block a number of websites of the oppositional media. Reporters of the media have announced their intention to appeal against the court's decision and not to stop the activities of the websites.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Centre for Electronic Security (CEB) of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan appealed to the court with a request to block a number of websites of the oppositional media. Lawyers representing the interests of the media treated the position of the court as biased.

The legal claim of the CEB contains a statement requesting "in view of creation of threats to the interests of the state and society protected by the law" to decide on restricting access to the websites of "azadliq.info" (a website of the newspaper "Azadliq"), "azadliq.org" (a website of the Azerbaijani Service of the "Radio Liberty"), "azerbaycansaati.com" (operates abroad), as well as access to "the Internet resources, hosting the TV shows "Azərbaycan saatı" (Azerbaijan Hour) and the "TuranTV" TV Channel."

Today, after the final debate of the parties at the Sabail District Court, Judge Nureddin Bagirov has announced a decision on perpetual blocking of the websites.

Advocate Samed Ragimov treats the court's decision as "unlawful." "The decision is harmful for the freedom of expression guaranteed by the European Convention. We will file an appeal and bring the case to the European Court," the advocate told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

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