Azerbaijani journalists complain to European Court on Human Rights

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 10/ Trend , K.Zarbaliyeva /

Fifteen journalists, who were unhappy with the decisions of the Azerbaijani courts, made a complaint to the European Court on Human Rights.

The complaint notes that while making decisions on the actions of journalists who are not allowed to picket, the Azerbaijani courts violated their rights and freedoms, provided by the European Convention articles 6 (right on a fair trial), 10 (freedom of expression), 11 (freedom of assembly and association), 13 (right on an effective legal protection), a source at the Institute of Media Rights told Trend on June 10. Applicants asked the European Court to recognize the violation of their rights on compensation of expenses incurred in connection with the case, as well as moral and material damage inflicted to them.

Journalists, who have complained, wanted to hold a picket on 17 April and 15 May 2007, with a requirement to put an end to pressure on the media, but the police did not allow this, and put physical pressure on the picket participants. The journalists, who argue that the dispersal of picket was accompanied by violations of the Constitution of Azerbaijan, the provisions of the Law on Freedom of Assembly, the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, filed a lawsuit against Executive Power of Baku City, Head Police Station of Baku and Sabayil District Court. Sabayil District Court twice made decisions not to take the lawsuit into execution. The Supreme Court cancelled that decision, but the district court again did not satisfy the appeal of journalists. Later, the highest instance courts upheld the decision of the district court.

The complaining journalists include Ganimat Zakhidov, Azer Akhmedov, Fikrat Huseynli, Shahvaled Namazov, Samir Kazimli, Gabil Abdullayev, Natik Javadli, Uzeyir Jafarov, Bahaddin Gaziyev, Shahbaz Aliyev, Sarvan Rizvanov, Yashar Agazade and others.