Two more sentences in the media world of Azerbaijan – the journalists of Nota Bene Newspaper Faramaz Allahverdiyev and Sardar Alibeyli were convicted on the claim put forth by Interior Minster Ramil Usubov and the head of the State Committee to Work with Diaspora Nazim Ibrahimov. They were found guilty under the Articles 147 and 148 of the Criminal Code (libel) for articles, which appeared in the December 3-6, 2006 edition of Nota Bene. (02-FEB-07)

Written by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku on the basis of materials from Turan Info Agency, Yeni Musavat newspaper, Institute of Reporters’ Freedom and Safety; photo by Yeni Musavat newspaper.

The court sentenced Faramaz Novruzoglu (Allahverdiyev) to two years of imprisonment, and the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper Sardar Alibeyli to a year and a half of labor work.

They were found guilty for the articles “the Gray Cardinal´s Nakhchivan Crusade” and “Ramil Usubov´s New Slander Campaign,” . The first article read that scandalous material about the love affairs of Nakhchivan´s head Vasif Talibov demonstrated by Turkish TV Channel “Canal D” were organized by the head of the President´s administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, with active participation Nazim Ibrahimov.
In the second article, Novruzoglu wrote about insincerity of Interior Minister Ramil Usubov to Heydar Aliyev. According to the founder of the newspaper, on Jan. 30 at 14:00 he held a press conference in the International press-club where he published materials on the matter.

Faramaz Novruzoglu was arrested right after the court decision.