Halk TV fined over remarks about Azerbaijan, President Aliyev

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The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has fined the pro-opposition Halk TV channel on the upper limit over the remarks of a journalist about Azerbaijan and President of Azerbaijan İlham Aliyev amid ongoing conflicts between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the South Caucasus.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), attending the program "İki Bakış, İki Yorum" (Two Views, Two Comments), journalist Levent Gültekin made the following remarks that have led the channel to be fined:

"...Is Azerbaijan really a state? It is a tribe, there is no democracy, it has no law, there is an authoritarian rule, there is no election. They are swimming in money. You have not been able to establish a proper state till today, your territory has been occupied for 30 years..."

The RTÜK has indicated that what journalist Levent Gültekin said about the State of Azerbaijan and President İlham Aliyev "humiliated, degraded or slandered them beyond the boundaries of criticism."

The Supreme Board has fined the broadcaster on the upper limit on the grounds that it violated the related article of the Law no. 6112 stipulating that "...a broadcast shall not be against the principle of respect for human dignity and privacy and it shall not have remarks humiliating, degrading or slandering persons or institutions beyond the boundaries of criticism." (EKN/SD)