ANS reporters barred from parliament session

The employees of Azerbaijani independent TV Channel ANS shut down last week were not allowed to attend a session of the Milli Majlis (parliament) on Tuesday.

The ANS representatives were told that their names had been removed from the list of journalists attending parliamentary sessions and they were barred from entering the facility designated for media representatives.

ANS was closed down on Friday on a decision by the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council, the body regulating local media. The Council said the reason for denying the extension of the broadcaster’s license was its failure to note numerous official warnings and violations of law.*