European Court binds Azerbaijani government to pay contribution to pardoned journalists

The European Court of Human Rights has today published the decision on the case of earlier pardoned journalists of the Mukhalifat newspaper Rovshan Mahmudov and Yashar Aghazade, reports Day.Az with reference to Monitoring.az website.

Thus, the European Court of Human Rights decided that there has been the violation of article 10 (freedom of expression and throught) of the European Convention for human rights protection and compensation for the material damage in the amount of EUR 1000, and court spendings EUR 925 by the government of Azerbaijan.

The claim, filed to the European Court, fixed violation of articles 10, 6 of the European convention of human rights, the need to pay a compensation to the journalists.

It should be noted that Mukhalifat newspaper published an article "Who will defend animals" on April 15 of 2006. The chairman of the Presidium of Lawyers Collegium Azer Taghiyev considered the thoughts, published in this article to abuse his honor and dignity and filed a claim to the Yasamal district court.

On March 19 of 2007 the said instance granted the claim of A.Taghiyev and passed a decision to fine the newspaper for AZN 5,000 and both journalists on the same amount.

It should be noted that the journalists were sentenced to 2.5 years in prison by the claim of deputy Calal Aliyev. They were presented charges under articles 147.2 (libel) and 148 (humiliation) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. They were pardoned by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan on December 28 of 2007.

/Day.Az/