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OSCE satisfied with dismissal of criminal defamation charges against Azadliq chief editor

18 July 2007 11:40 (UTC +04:00)

"If the use of the European Court of Human Rights case law becomes generalized in Azerbaijan’s courts, we will witness a significant improvement in the situation of freedom of the media in the country," said Ambassador Jose-Luis Herrero, Head of the OSCE Office. "We fully encourage this trend. The European Court rulings provide the appropriate balance between protecting individual reputations and upholding freedom of expression."
Yasamal district court dismissed the suit on criminal defamation charges against the editor-in-chief Genimet Zahid by Imishli Region Railroad Station chief Feyyaz Khankishiyev. The claimed demanded fining the newspaper of 20.000 manats and instituting criminal responsibility against the editor-in-chief under article 147.2 of Criminal Code.
The charges against Ganimat Zahid stemmed from the article "Stone Comes Across Rock" published in the Azadliq newspaper in May. The article was written based on a letter from Imishli Region Railroad Station employee to Azadlig’s editorial office. /APA/