The Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office has launched criminal proceedings on charges of preaching terrorism by ANS TV officials, attorney Elçin Sadiqov informed on his Facebook account.

He noted that, on October 27, 2016, journalist Ganira Ataşeva, who collaborates with ANS, was detained at the airport while on her way to Istanbul, Turkey, according to Haqqin.az news agency of Azerbaijan.

The journalist was informed that she could not leave Azerbaijan.

Subsequently, Ataşeva petitioned to the Department for Investigation of Grave Crimes, with a request to lift the ban on her leaving Azerbaijan.

After the coup attempt in Turkey in July 2016, ANS TV was closed down on charges of involvement in the activities of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen, whom Ankara blames for this failed coup.