ECtHR recognizes violation of media employees’ rights by Azerbaijan

The European Court of Human Rights has found that the rights of Faig Amirov, the former financial director of the “Azadlig” opposition newspaper, and Aytadj Tapdyg, a “Meydan TV” journalist, have been violated. The European Court has obliged the authorities of Azerbaijan to pay the journalists 14,500 euros in compensation.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has announced its decision on a complaint lodged by Faig Amirov, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) and the former financial director of the “Azadlig” opposition newspaper. The case concerned the arrest of the complainant on the charges related to his alleged affiliation with the movement of the late Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen in Azerbaijan.

The ECtHR has recognized a violation of the Faig Amirov’s right to liberty and security of person.

“Although investigators claimed that Faig Amirov was an imam of FETÖ (Gülen movement), basing their version on the books about Fethullah Gülen allegedly found with Faig Amirov. Later, the mentioned books were removed from the case materials, since an author of the publications turned out to be a relative of the then General Prosecutor of Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, Faig Amirov was convicted on the same charge, as well as for ‘tax evasion,’ although the last charge was also grounded,” said advocate Agil Laidj.

Natig Adilov, the head of the PFPA press service, claims that the case against Faig Amirov has a political background.

“Faig Amirov, a person far from religion, has been claimed to allegedly be an imam of FETÖ. This happened a month after the failed coup attempt in Turkey, which was blamed on the preacher Fethullah Gülen and his movement. In Azerbaijan, this narrative was used to discredit the PFPA,” Natig Adilov noted.