11:32, 24 January 2020

Editor-in-chief of “Criminal.az” treats cyber attack as continuation of pressure on him

Anar Mamedov. Photo: screenshot of the video by RFE/RL

The online Azerbaijani edition “Criminal.az” was subjected to a cyber attack, which resulted in the deletion of more than 400 articles. On January 23, Anar Mamedov, its editor-in-chief, called on law enforcers to investigate the hacking of the website and punish those responsible.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on January 11, Mamedov asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to investigate promises to brutally beat him up that appeared in social networks. The journalist then treated these fake messages as a physical pressure on him.

Now, he regards the hacking of his website as a “link in the chain of attacks” against him for his critical publications.

"Over the past two years, the pressure on me is unstoppable. From time to time, criminal cases are brought against me; and I’m summoned to the police," Mr Mamedov has stated.

Emin Guseinov, the executive director of the Institute of Reporters’ Freedom and Security (IRFS), also believes that a cyber attack was committed against the “Criminal.az” website. He has confirmed that Mamedov has been under pressure for a long time.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 24, 2020 at 00:22 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent