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AZERI “ANS” CLOSED DOWN

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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.