The newspaper Azadlig before the threat of closure

The newspaper Azadlig is once again facing the threat of closure. Speaking at today's press conference, the Acting Chief Editor Rahim Hajiyev said a new round of pressure on the newspaper began immediately after the presidential election.

Thus, the newspaper received a notice from the bailiffs to arrest the bank account, if before October 24 it does not pay off the debt at the suit of the head of the shopping center Bina Kyabira Mamedova.

On the other hand, the publishing house Azerbaijan demanded the newspaper pay 5,000 manats of its 20,000 AZN debt to the enterprise.

At the same time, the paper itself can not get from the press distributor Gasid 47,000 manat for their sold publication.

On top of that, from October 17, the sale of the newspaper in the Baku metro stations is prohibited.

 "One state agency does not pay us our duty and the other state organizations require us to pay our debt to them," said Hajiyev.

The paper had never faced such a complex situation, Hajiyev said, describing it as a deliberate government policy to close the newspaper.

He expressed hope that the democratic forces, readers and all those who care about freedom of speech will support the paper.

The Turan Agency Director Mehman Aliyev said the problem could be solved by addressing mutual debts between the state organizations. Such precedents exist in the form of a write-off of accounts receivable between state enterprises.

If these organizations do not decide the debt problem between them, the matter may be referred to a judicial level.

The lawyer Aslan Ismailov said that the requirements for payment of the debts can be seen as the desire of the authorities to close the paper.

The journalist Shahvalad Chobanoglu considers it important to bring this issue into legal and to hold protests. Before the firm Gasid it is necessary to carry out protests and to organize a hunger strike to draw attention of the local and international community. -05C-