Court Postpones Consideration of Complaint of Oppositional Websites

Baku / 07.11.17 / Turan: The consideration of appeals against blocking of a number of websites criticizing the government of Azerbaijan, scheduled for November 7, did not take place. The hearings were postponed to 15:40 on December 5 due to the absence of Judge Abiddin Huseynov (he is on a business trip).

Recall that on March 27, the Center for Electronic Security of the Ministry of Communications blocked access to several opposition Internet resources: azadliq.info (Azadlig newspaper), azadliq.org (Azadlig Radio), azerbaycansaati.com, meydan.tv, and video channels Azerbaijan Saati and Turan TV.

Already post factum the Ministry of Communications appealed to the court, accusing these websites of violating the "legitimate interests of society and the state," and in particular, calls for religious radicalism or other unlawful actions.

Representatives of the websites rejected the accusations. They also pointed out that the decision of the Ministry of Communications contradicts the European Convention on Human Rights, the decision of the Strasbourg Court on the blocking of websites in Turkey, as well as the resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2016, according to which a website cannot be blocked, and the restriction must concern only specific information.

Nevertheless, on May 12, the Sabayil District Court granted the suit of the Electronic Security Center of the Ministry of Communications. -03C06--