Reporters Without Borders strongly condemns the decision by an Azeri court to freeze the bank accounts of the opposition newspaper, Azadlig,
The decision was made on November 5, 2012.
“This illegal decision is a decisive phase in moves over the past few months to suffocate Azadlig,” the press freedom organization said adding “Exorbitant fines and a deliberate attempt to squeeze its circulation have put the newspaper in a precarious position, further exacerbated by its bank account being frozen. The paper’s survival is under greater threat than ever, which is precisely the intention of the courts. Most of the opposition newspapers in Azerbaijan have been closed, one after another. Broadcast outlets are totally controlled by the authorities. In these circumstances, the closure of Azadlig would be a fatal blow for media pluralism in Azerbaijan. Such a prospect is unimaginable”.
Note, Azadlig has been the target of a series of prosecutions in recent months. In the past year, no less than ten complaints have been lodged against the daily, mostly by people close to the government. As a result, the newspaper has been forced to pay a series of exorbitant fines totaling more than 65,000 manat (approx 65,000 Euros).
The editor of Azadlig, Ganimat Zahid, told Reporters Without Borders by telephone that the court’s decision was illegal. “We are still publishing the newspaper, but if this situation continues we won’t be able to hold out for very long,” he said.
Apart from the series of fines, Azadlig also has to deal with changes in the newspaper distribution network. Over the past few months, newsstands in the capital have been replaced by a new network of outlets, from which independent newspapers are frequently excluded. Moreover, the GASID distribution network has accumulated large debts towards the newspaper, which has contributed to Azadlig’s inability to settle its own arrears with the state-owned printing house. As a result, it could stop printing at any time.
Azerbaijan is ranked 162nd of 179 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.
