The newspaper Azadlig has been awarded the Freedom of Expression Awards 2014 by the international human rights organization Index on Censorship. During the March 20 ceremony in London the award was presented to the Acting Chief Editor of Azadlig, Rahim Hajiyev.
The official report Index on Censorship emphasized that the newspaper Azadlig is one of the few media of Azerbaijan, which managed to maintain their independence.
It is emphasized that in the harsh repression of critical voices in Azerbaijan, the newspaper continues to publish information about the " corruption, nepotism, financial irregularities in the government and the ruling elite of Azerbaijan."
New attacks on the newspaper Azadlig began immediately after the presidential elections in 2013, when its bank accounts were arrested in connection with the revision of defamatory claims against it from the owner of the mall Bina, Kabirah Mamedova, and the then chief of the Baku Metro, Taghi Ahmedov, totaling 65 thousand manats.
At the same time, the state press distribution company Gasid does not pay the newspaper the proceeds from the sale of its copies, totaling more than 70 thousand manats.
" The main mission of our newspaper is the truth. And this is the reason of constant pressure and attacks on the newspaper Azadlig," said Hajiyev during the ceremony.
He recalled that in 2006 the newspaper was evicted from its office in the center of Baku and at the same time there was a wave of repression against the newspaper. Two employees, including the chief editor, were arrested. The paper's employees are subjected to a series of physical attacks, including two people stabbed.
Late last year, with 9 million IP addresses was attacked the online version of the newspaper and the site for a while was incapacitated.
As Hajiyev noted, despite the circulation of only 8 thousand copies, the newspaper has a strong influence on public opinion and " the government is very concerned about it."
The award Freedom of Expression from the human rights organization Index on Censorship has been awarded since 1972.
In 2010, this award was given to the director of the Media Rights Institute Rashid Hajili and in 2012 - to the journalist Idrak Abbasov. -06D -
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