The decision to close the APA comes from the real owner - an expert

Baku / 02.08.18 / Turan: Access to the sites of the APA holding company is not blocked, unlike other on-line publications, but the activities of this structure are simply suspended, said the expert in the field of media rights Alesker Mammadli, commenting on the Azadlig radio blocking access to APA sites.

He was at a loss to explain the reasons for the agency's termination. However, the publication by the agency itself of the refutation of information about the statements of the Azerbaijani president and the apology, gives grounds to believe that the suspension of the agency's activities is connected with this.

"But even so, such a mistake cannot be grounds for the termination of the activity of the media structure," Mammadli said.

If the media that made a mistake apologizes, then the question is exhausted, and considers it legal.

Mammadli recalled that this is not the first time when the media are closing under similar situations. So they were with the newspaper "Mirror", and the ANS television channel.

Now it is necessary to clarify who made the decision to close - the agency staff or the real owner of this structure? The management of the agency cannot take such a decision with regard to the collective, where about 200 people work, Mammadli believes.

He is inclined to believe that this decision was made by the real owner of the agency, without specifying who he means.

Mammadli regards this situation as an indicator of the non-transparency of such structures, as the lack of their economic stability and dependence on individual state officials.

"This is evidence of the absence of media freedom in the country," Mammadli said. -16D-