Media Rights Institute (MRI) condemns Ministers-Generals for lawsuits against Ganimat Zahid

Media Rights Institute (MRI) strongly condemned the filing by Interior Minister and National Security Minister lawsuits with the aim of criminal punishment  the chief-editor  of  "Azadlig" newspaper,  Ganimat Zahid.

The statement IMD noted that the activities of state agencies and their leaders should always be under public control. "They must  be tolerate even in cases where the media unnecessarily criticize them," says the  MRI.

Legal proceedings against the editor of the leading opposition newspaper of the country is a violation of the secret moratorium on the use of criminal penalties for defamation,  which has been existing for  two  years.

"Particularly dangerous  is filing criminal sanctions by ministers  for defamation. It may encourage other officials to punish journalists," the statement reads.

* The reason for a lawsuit against Zahid became an article in the newspaper "Azadlig"  on  March 1 entitled  "Ramil Usubov  is angry with Kamaladdin Heydarov."  The articles read that Usubov and Heydarov areallegedly involved  in the conflict between family  of Pashayevs and  Ramiz Mehdiyev, and they now  are  fighting  against  each other. 

Heydarov demanded to bring Zahid to justice under  the Article 147.2 (defamation of a felony), and Usubov demands  to punish him under the Article 147.1 (defamation). Zahid  can be imprisoned up to three years. -16D06-