23:59, 29 March 2005

Media to sue Baku Underground

Azerbaijan's RUH Committee to Protect Journalists has made a decision to sue the Baku Underground management over a ban on selling opposition periodicals on the premises, the Committee says in a press release. "RUH has more than once addressed the Baku Underground with an appeal to prevent discrimination against opposition newspapers and to avoid obstructing their sale on the underground. However, Underground chief Tagi Akhmedov openly disregards these appeals and even claims to "own" the underground and he does not think selling opposition newspapers necessary there," says the document. RUH rates Akhmedov's statement as a violation of the fundamental norms of democracy and freedom of speech.

Earlier, Press Council Chairman Aflatun Amashev called the ban imposed on selling opposition newspapers on the underground "illegal". He believes all printed media published in accordance with the law have equal rights and it is inadmissible and illegal to discriminate against individual publications.

More about Azerbaijan:

Human Rights Practices in Azerbaijan - 2004

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent