ECtHR rules paying compensations to eight Azerbaijani journalists

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg has recognized rights violations of eight Azerbaijani journalists and obliged the country's authorities to pay compensations to them ranging from 7500 to 15,000 euros.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in August 2017, the ECtHR combined the complaints lodged by Zamin Gadji, Afghan Mukhtarly, Khakimeldostu Mekhtiev, Ilgar Nasibov, Ramid Ibragimov, Etimad Budagov, Idrak Abbasov and Taplyg Farkhadoglu into one case and sent questions on all these complaints to the government of Azerbaijan. The applicants claimed violations of the rights guaranteed by Articles 3 (prohibition of torture) and 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).

Today, the ECtHR has announced its decision on the above complaints.

The ECtHR has obliged the Azeri authorities to pay 15,000 euros to Abbasov, 9750 euros to Nasibov, and 7500 euros to each of the rest applicants. Besides, the applicants will be paid from 2000 and 3500 euros each (a total of 21,500 euros) to reimburse their legal expenses, states the ECtHR's decision.

Emin Guseinov, Director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), has treated the ECtHR's decision as another example of the depressing situation with the media freedom in Azerbaijan.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 1, 2020 at 08:03 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.