TAGIYEV AND HUSEYNOV v. AZERBAIJAN - 13274/08 (Judgment : Freedom of expression-{general} Pecuniary damage - claim dismissed : Fifth Section)

Art 10 � Freedom of expression � Criminal conviction for publication of an article criticizing Islam � Right of religious people not to be insulted on grounds of their beliefs � Domestic courts� failure to justify qualification of impugned remarks as incitement to religious hatred � Domestic courts� failure to balance competing interests at stake � Severity of sanctions � Proportionality

This judgment will become final in the circumstances set out in Article 44 � 2 of the Convention. It may be subject to editorial revision.

The European Court of Human Rights (Fifth Section), sitting as a Chamber composed of:

��������� Angelika Nu�berger, President, ��������� Gabriele Kucsko-Stadlmayer, ��������� Ganna Yudkivska, ��������� S�ofra O�Leary, ��������� Mārtiņ� Mits, ��������� Lәtif H�seynov, ��������� Lado Chanturia, judges, ��������� and Claudia Westerdiek, Section Registrar,

The case originated in an application (no. 13274/08 ) against the Republic of Azerbaijan lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (�the Convention�) by two Azerbaijani nationals, Mr Rafig Nazir oglu Tagiyev ( Rafiq Nəzir oğlu Tağıyev � �the first applicant�) and Mr Samir Sadagat oglu Huseynov ( Samir Sədaqət oğlu H�seynov � �the second applicant�) (�the applicants�), on 7 March 2008.