Azerbaijan court obliges rights defender to deny her assessment of school director's behavior

On March 12, the Sabailsky Court pronounced judgment on the suit brought by the former director of school No 249, Mirfaig Mirgeidarli, against the Azadlig newspaper and human rights defender Saida Godjamanli. In conformity with the court decision, the newspaper and the human right defender are to deny the assertion that "Tural Babayev was damned by instructions of the school director."

To remind, the plaintiff publicly insulted Tural Babayev, a ninth-form student, calling him "a son of the enemy of the people." (Tural's father is a member of the Musavat party). Later the director was dismissed for this pronouncement, which was rated by the leadership of the Ministry of Education as incompatible with pedagogical ethics. The Azadlig newspaper published an article with comments by Saida Godjamanli, laying strictures on the school director's behavior. But the director considered it to be an insult to his honor and dignity. In his suit, Mirfaig Mirgeidarli demanded that Saida Godjamanli should issue a denial and pay indemnity of 50 million manats, and the Azadlig newspaper should pay 75 million manats.

Commenting on the court decision, Saida Godjamanli said she was not going to appeal against it. She thinks the court decision can be regarded as human rights defenders' victory since the court denied most paragraphs of the suit.