Azerbaijan ? Authorities cut off broadcasts from Azerbaijan’s first independent TV station Friday and ordered the eviction of opposition newspapers and organizations from their offices in the capital, moves government opponents called part of a campaign to silence dissent.

The former Soviet republic’s Economic Court ordered the eviction of tenants from a building that houses the editorial offices of the opposition newspapers Azadliq and Bizim yol, as well as the headquarters of the main opposition party, the Popular Front.

Azadliq, which leases the building, had been warned of the pending eviction after a government property committee demanded thousands of dollars in back rent.

Earlier Friday, ANS television was pulled off the air by the government, which said the station – two days from celebrating its 15th anniversary with a gala concert – had not extended its license.

ANS Vice President Mirshahin Agayev said the station received no official notification of the problem with its license.