Shirvan Court of Appeal cancelled the verdict in the case of facebook

On November 25 the  Shirvan Court of Appeal upheld the complaint of a resident of Astara region , a former employee of AccessBank, Mikail Talybov, and  cancelled the conviction against him  of the first instance court.

The judge Alasgar Novruzov admitted that Astara  regional court considered the case with  serious procedural violations , violating the right  of Talybova to a fair trial. The case was  sent for retrial in Astara court , reports the Media Rights Institute , representing the interests of  Talybov in the court. 

This case is significant because  Talybov  became the first victim of the amendments to the legislation adopted  in May 14  by the Parliament, spreading criminal penalties for libel and insult to the Internet. This case is called " the case of  facebook".

Mikail Talybov  was sentenced in July this year to one year of corrective labor with  deduction of 20 % of the salary for defamation . The reason for this was the criticism of the "AccessBank", where he worked. Believing his dismissal illegal, he created a page in facebook called «Accessbank-Haqsızbank" (Accessbank- Unfair Bank.")

In turn, the bank appealed to the court which declared defamatory phrase «Accessbank- Unfair bank", "money earned in Azerbaijan - against Azerbaijan », «Accessbank stepping up political pressure in Azerbaijan , causing discontent among the population," " in the bank for a loan of 50,000 manat take a bribe in 5000 manat."  The court also ordered Talybov  to give a refutation in facebook.—03В06-