Azerbaijani journalist fined for publication about shelling of Shusha

In Azerbaijan, Ibishbeili Fikret Faramaz oglu, the head of the jamaz.info website, has been fined by 500 manats (USD 300), at the request of the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO), for publishing the information that should not be distributed on the Internet.

In the course of the investigation, it was established that Ibishbeili Fikret Faramaz oglu (Fikret Faramazoglu) has posted false information on his website jamaz.info about the shelling of the city of Shusha (the Armenian name is Shushi) from the side of Khankendi (the Armenian name is Stepanakert), the GPO's press service has reported.

The claims were caused by the material "Shusha is shelled from Khankendi", which said: "According to the latest information, Armenian separatists in Karabakh undertook a provocation in the direction of Shusha ... It is reported that the Azerbaijani Army is taking adequate measures to suppress the enemy with the use of large-calibre weapons."

Khalid Agaliev, the head of the Media Rights Group, has explained that "according to Azerbaijani laws, the imposition of the fine is lawful," but "the court should consider such issues in a broader context, based on the freedom of expression guaranteed by the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR)."

Earlier, Mr Faramazoglu was held accountable for his publications. He was accused of extorting money from restaurant owners by threatening to write critical materials about their restaurants. In June 2017, the court sentenced him to seven years in prison.

Ogtai Gyulyalyev, the head of the Public Alliance "Azerbaijan without political prisoners", has suggested that the persecution of Faramazoglu has to do with his journalistic activities. In March 2019, Faramazoglu was pardoned by the President of Azerbaijan.