The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Azerbaijan violated the right to freedom of expression of Azadliq, a leading independent opposition newspaper. Azadliq was represented by Media Defence in the proceedings. The Court found that Azadliq’s reporting on alleged corruption addressed a matter of clear public interest and that the defamation award imposed on the paper by the domestic courts was disproportionate and capable of silencing critical journalism. The Court awarded Azadliq substantial damages. This decision comes amid a sustained crackdown on independent media in Azerbaijan—one that forced Azadliq to end its print edition in 2016 and saw its website blocked in 2017, ultimately forcing the outlet to continue its work from outside Azerbaijan.
See full court decision here.Â
For more information, contact our Legal Dirctor, Pádraig Hughes at padraig.hughes@mediadefence.org
