Web site of opposition party hacked in Azerbaijan

Hackers have cracked the web site of the oppositional Party of National Front of Azerbaijan (PNFA) and placed photos and addresses of representatives of sexual minorities in the place of the web site, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

We note here that the authorities of Azerbaijan have been long campaigning to discredit the leader of the PNFA Ali Kerimli, accusing him of non-traditional sexual orientation.

Before the 2005 parliamentary elections, the pro-governmental mass media, when covering Ali Kerimli's visit to Turkey, were scavengering a story about a group of young men of non-traditional sexual orientation who rushed to the PNFA leader in the Turkish airport and welcomed him with a bouquet of flowers. Besides, Ali Kerimli was also accused of that at the sittings of the last convocation Parliament.

The oppositional news paper "Azadlyg" (Freedom), which is close to the leadership of the National Front, has already reacted to the hackers' attack on the PNFA web site. Thus, Ganimet Zakhidov, editor-in-chief of the newspaper, has warned the authorities that if they do not stop their attacks on the PNFA, the newspaper would use its right to publish its available compromising materials against representatives of the authorities.