Release of opposition "Azadliq" newspaper suspended

Today, the state publishing house "Azerbaijan" has suspended for indefinite period the release of the opposition newspaper "Azadliq" in connection with its debt to the publishing house for printing and office rent. Journalists explain their debt by the debt to them from a state-owned distributor of the newspaper issues.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that as on July 11, the edition office's debt amounted to about 17,000 manats (11,000 US dollars).

According to Rakhim Gadjiev, the first deputy editor-in-chief, the publishing house "Azerbaijan" refused to print the newspaper because of the debt of 20,000 manats (12,200 US dollars) for the printing costs and office rent.

Rakhim Gadjiev states that the financial problems of the edition office got worse after the arrest of Faig Amirov, the financial director of the newspaper "Azadliq".

He has noted that the edition office counts on the support of the newspaper's readers and the public.

According to him, the newspaper cannot be printed in other printing houses "because of their low level of printing" and requirements for prepayment of printing costs.

The publishing house "Azerbaijan" itself needs funds and cannot work at a loss, reported its agent.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.