In Baku, court fines journalist Vagifgyzy for failure to pay compensation

Azerbaijani journalist Sevindj Vagifgyzy was sentenced to a fine for failing to comply with the court's decision to pay compensation to Elmira Alandarova, a deputy principal of a school in Baku. The journalist associated the punishment with her disclosing the violations at the 2018 presidential election and appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) with a complaint about the first fine.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 27, 2019, Elmira Alandarova filed a lawsuit against Sevindj Vagifgyzy. The plaintiff requested an apology, a cash compensation, and a removal from the Internet of a video about the presidential election held on April 11, 2018. A plaintiff's lawyer stated that the conflict could be considered settled if the journalist apologized. Sevindj Vagifgyzy refused to voice any apologies. The court ordered her to pay compensation to the plaintiff in the amount of 1000 manats (600 US dollars).

"I am being punished for revealing violations at the presidential election and cooperation with independent and opposition media," Sevindj Vagifgyzy believes.

Namizad Safarov, a former member of the Azerbaijan Bar Association (ABA), believes that the court unlawfully imposed the fine on the journalist without any warning.

"The court should have listened to her and should have given her time for the execution of the court's decision," the former ABA member explained.