11:55, 12 May 2004

Trial against Azerbaijan opposition leaders goes without representatives of influential media

The trial in the case of Azerbaijan opposition leaders charged with organizing riots on 15-16 October 2003, right after the presidential election, started in the Court for Grave Crimes on May 7.

A scandal marked the very first day of the trial. A representative of Azerbaijan Themis, who came out of the court building, suddenly told the people gathered that only selected media could attend the court hearing. The list of the media, which had initially represented mainly the pro-governmental camp, was enlarged. Representatives of the opposition press, even the Yeni Musavat newspaper, were added to it. But representatives of such influential mass media as the newspapers Zerkalo, Echo, Azadlyg, and the Turan agency were not admitted to the trial.

Author: Shakhin Rzayev, expert of the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations

Source: Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (Moscow)