A district court in Azerbaijan ordered a defendant to pay 7,000 manats in moral damages over social-media videos that demeaned a person and brought private family matters into public discussion.
The Tovuz District Court partially granted a civil claim seeking protection of honor and dignity, a retraction of published information and compensation for moral harm, according to a Vesti Baku report.
The court also ordered the defendant to pay 90 manats in state fees. The plaintiff had sought a retraction and 100,000 manats in damages.
Videos Appeared on Three Platforms
The case involved video material published on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. After reviewing the evidence, the court found that the statements interfered with the private lives of the plaintiff and the plaintiff’s family and harmed their honor and dignity.
The ruling cited Article 32 of Azerbaijan’s Constitution and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protect private and family life. The court said family relationships, children’s parentage and other personal information cannot be turned into subjects of mass discussion without an overriding public interest.
It also said publishing truthful information can still be unlawful when the purpose or effect is an unjustified intrusion into private life. Context, the target of the statements and repeated publication may all be considered.
The court stressed that freedom of expression applies online but does not remove the obligation to respect other people’s dignity and privacy. A person’s public profile also does not automatically expose family members to the same level of criticism or scrutiny.