Azerbaijani authorities admit to violations of Meydan TV employees' rights

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) withdrew from consideration complaints filed by writer and a publicist Rasim Garadja, and reporter Tural Asadli due to the fact that the Azerbaijani authorities had already restored their rights and promised to pay each of the complainants 5000 euros in compensation.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in 2015, the authorities of Azerbaijan banned Rasim Garadja and several other persons, who collaborated with Meydan TV, from leaving Azerbaijan in connection with a criminal case on illegal entrepreneur activities. The journalists were involved in the case as witnesses. In May 2019, the Azerbaijani authorities lifted the ban on leaving the country imposed on Meydan TV freelance columnists. Later, the restrictions on four more persons, including reporter Tural Asadli, were also cancelled.

Anar Mamedli, the director of the Centre for Election Monitoring and Democracy Education (CEMDE), noted that the Azerbaijani authorities began to impose mass restrictions on travel abroad since 2014. According to the human rights defender, then a campaign was launched against activists of civil society, NGOs, and independent media.