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AZERI `ANS’ CLOSED DOWN
[07:31 pm] 24 November, 2006
Today at 03:00 p.m. the work of Azeri TV Company `ANS’
was halted. The decision of depriving the TV Company
which has existed for years and has a high reputation
of the broadcasting license has been made by the
National Committee of Television and Radio. The
Committee has not given clear-cut grounding of the
decision.
`I’m shocked by the news. My feelings are not forming
into words’, said Head of the Journalists’ Union
Elchin Shihlinski to day.az. Representatives of
different parties and NGOs make statements condemning
the decision and activities of the party.
Almost all the statements coincide with the opinion of
Leila Yunus, the head of the Peace and Democracy
Institute, `The closure of ANS testifies to the fact
that the authorities of Azerbaijan hastily combat
freedom of speech closing all the independent Mass
Media. I am convinced that the decision has been made
by the Government’.
OSCE OFFICE CONDEMNS CLOSURE OF PRIVATE TV BROADCASTER
IN AZERBAIJAN
BAKU, 24 November 2006 – The OSCE Office in Baku today
expressed concern and surprise at the closure of
Azerbaijan’s first private TV and radio broadcaster,
ANS.
The National TV and Radio Council (NTRC) of Azerbaijan
today adopted a decision not to extend the licence for
ANS TV and ANS Ch.M radio.
Ambassador Maurizio Pavesi, Head of the OSCE Office in
Baku said: "We are deeply concerned about the closure
of a private television and radio broadcaster, which
has always been considered by international observers
as the most objective in the country – as has clearly
been indicated also in the OSCE Election Observation
Reports.
"I’m perplexed as to why the decision, which was
issued in the absence of any definitive reasoning,
should come into force immediately. The usual recourse
to appeal seems to have been overlooked," he added.
The Council said it based its decision on "the regular
violation of the provisions of the legislation,
disregarding regular official warnings and fine
sanctions made by the TV and Radio Council and
demonstrating an insincere attitude towards comments
and warnings given by the Council about infractions."
ANS TV and ANS Ch.M radio stopped broadcasting at 3
p.m. (1100GMT) today. The NTRC, in its decision, also
terminated the company’s satellite transmissions. ANS
TV and Radio had been waiting for the renewal of its
licence since 2003.
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