RWB reacts to blocking of "Turan" websites

The "Reporters Without Borders" (RWB), an international organization for the protection of journalists, has condemned the cyber attacks on the "Turan" websites, noting that the blocking of the resource followed the posted critical materials about violations of oppositionists' rights.

Mekhman Aliev, Director of the "Turan" News Agency, has informed that on May 15, the server, where the hosting of the "Turan" (www.turan.az) and (www.contact.az) is placed failed. Mr Aliev believes that Azerbaijani authorities may be behind the above DDOS attacks.

"Azerbaijani authorities are worried: we are telling the truth, and they surely dislike it," he has added. In his opinion, the authorities' concerns are growing amid the crisis – the pandemic and the collapse of oil prices.

The RWB has condemned the cyber (DDOS) attacks on the "Turan" websites.

Alesker Mamedli, an expert in media law and a member of the Civil Society Platform, believes that DDOS attacks have become the "expenses of Internet capabilities." According to his version, in Azerbaijan "the websites disliked by authorities are either completely blocked in the territory of the country or temporarily eliminated by hacker attacks."