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7 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS EXPRESSED DEEP CONCERNS OVER THE WORSENING CONDITION OF AZERI MEDIA
Azerireport
BAKU. September 8, 2012: Seven international organizations unitied
in the International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan (IPGA) -
ARTICLE 19, Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, Index on
Censorship, Media Diversity Institute, Norwegian Helsinki Committee,
and the Reporters Without Borders - issued a statement expressing
their deep concern with the deteriorating situation of the media in
Azerbaijan. Below is the full text of the statement:
The International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan (IPGA), coordinated
by ARTICLE 19, is deeply concerned by the deteriorating freedom
of expression situation in Azerbaijan. Of specific concern is the
threat of imminent closure for one of the most popular newspapers
in the country, Azadliq. In addition, in recent weeks, another
journalist was imprisoned on politically motivated charges, concerns
surfaced regarding detention conditions for two other journalists,
and a critical journalist who was previously attacked continued
to experience harassment. Further, recent monitoring of Baku's
newsstands showed that independent and opposition newspapers face
growing distribution problems.
Threat of closure for Azadliq newspaper
Acting editor-in-chief of opposition Azadliq newspaper Rahim Hajiyev
has reported that the newspaper faces imminent closure after receiving
notice from the state-owned printing house that Azadliq must vacate
its offices on the premises and would no longer be printed if Azadliq
did not pay its debt of 25,000 AZN (approximately 20,000 GBP) by
3 September 2012. The paper was later given an extension until 10
September 2012. Azadliq's debt to the printing house is for printing
and utility costs, which the newspaper claims it cannot pay in part
due to the inability of the GASID distribution company to pay its
larger debt to Azadliq. Azadliq is one of the highest circulation
newspapers and among the most critical media outlets in the country.
It has faced severe difficulties in recent years due to state control
of the advertising market and printing and distribution facilities,
and hefty fines imposed as the result of numerous defamation cases.
Many of its editors and reporters have been subjected to imprisonment
or violent attacks.
Persecution of critical journalists
On 23 August 2012, freelance journalist Faramaz Novruzoglu joined
the ranks of Azerbaijan's imprisoned journalists after a Baku court
sentenced him to four and a half years in prison on charges of illegal
border crossing and inciting public disorder. Novruzoglu believes the
charges are connected with a series of articles he published exposing
government corruption. He has previously served prison sentences in
2009 and 2007 in connection with his journalistic activities.
On 29 August 2012, a Baku court dismissed a case brought by Tolishi
Sedo newspaper editor-in-chief Hilal Mammadov against the prison
administration alleging that he was treated inhumanely in detention.
Mammadov has been in detention since June 2012 and faces life in
prison on charges of high treason and inciting hatred.
Khural newspaper editor-in-chief Avaz Zeynalli has recently reported
a number of serious health problems which have worsened in detention,
including kidney stones, radiculitis and chronic rhinitis. Zeynalli
has been detained since October 2011, facing up to 12 years in prison
on charges of extortion and failure to implement a court decision,
based on a Member of Parliament's claims that Zeynalli attempted to
blackmail her.
Journalist Idrak Abbasov reported continued acts of harassment
against him and his family, as unknown assailants have attempted to
break into his car outside his home three times over the past few
weeks, most recently on 28 August 2012. Abbasov, a correspondent of
the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) and Ayna and
Zerkalo newspapers, was severely beaten to the point of hospitalisation
in April 2012 by a group of State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR)
employees whilst filming their demolition of houses in his village. So
far no one has been prosecuted for the attack.
Independent and opposition newspapers face growing distribution
problems
Monitoring undertaken by a group of media workers and IRFS
representatives on 1 September 2012 showed that many of Baku's
newsstands do not carry newspapers or carry an insufficient quantity
to meet demand. Some of the vendors interviewed reported that
they received instructions stemming from an alleged order by an
employee of the Baku Mayor's office to boycott the company GASID,
which distributes independent and opposition newspapers such as Ayna,
Zerkalo, Yeni Musavat and Azadliq. More than half of GASID's newsstands
in Baku have been shut down over the past year as new kiosks selling
sundries but not newspapers have been installed in their place,
with support from the Baku Mayor's office.
The IPGA calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to take immediate steps
to improve this alarming situation and to fulfill their international
obligations to respect and protect the right to freedom of expression,
including:
~U Immediately cease proceedings to evict Azadliq newspaper from its
offices in the state-owned printing house and allow the newspaper to
continue to print whilst an agreement regarding the newspaper's debt
is reached;
~U Immediately and unconditionally release Hilal Mamamdov, Faramaz
Novruzoglu, Avaz Zeynalli, and all other journalists currently
detained or imprisoned in connection with exercising their right
to free expression, and cease arresting persons for politically
motivated reasons;
~U Take immediate steps to improve detention conditions for Hilal
Mammadov and Avaz Zeynalli, including promptly and impartially
investigating reports of inhumane treatment of Mammadov and ensuring
that Zeynalli receives immediate medical attention;
~U Redouble efforts to investigate the attack against Idrak Abbasov
and bring the perpetrators to justice, and investigate recent acts of
harassment against him and put a stop to this continued pressure; and
~U Cease support for a boycott of the GASID distribution company and
create fair distribution conditions for all newspapers.
The following IPGA member organisations support this statement:
~U ARTICLE 19 ~U Committee to Protect Journalists ~U Freedom House
~U Index on Censorship ~U Media Diversity Institute ~U Norwegian
Helsinki Committee ~U Reporters Without Borders (Azerireport).
Azerireport
BAKU. September 8, 2012: Seven international organizations unitied
in the International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan (IPGA) -
ARTICLE 19, Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, Index on
Censorship, Media Diversity Institute, Norwegian Helsinki Committee,
and the Reporters Without Borders - issued a statement expressing
their deep concern with the deteriorating situation of the media in
Azerbaijan. Below is the full text of the statement:
The International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan (IPGA), coordinated
by ARTICLE 19, is deeply concerned by the deteriorating freedom
of expression situation in Azerbaijan. Of specific concern is the
threat of imminent closure for one of the most popular newspapers
in the country, Azadliq. In addition, in recent weeks, another
journalist was imprisoned on politically motivated charges, concerns
surfaced regarding detention conditions for two other journalists,
and a critical journalist who was previously attacked continued
to experience harassment. Further, recent monitoring of Baku's
newsstands showed that independent and opposition newspapers face
growing distribution problems.
Threat of closure for Azadliq newspaper
Acting editor-in-chief of opposition Azadliq newspaper Rahim Hajiyev
has reported that the newspaper faces imminent closure after receiving
notice from the state-owned printing house that Azadliq must vacate
its offices on the premises and would no longer be printed if Azadliq
did not pay its debt of 25,000 AZN (approximately 20,000 GBP) by
3 September 2012. The paper was later given an extension until 10
September 2012. Azadliq's debt to the printing house is for printing
and utility costs, which the newspaper claims it cannot pay in part
due to the inability of the GASID distribution company to pay its
larger debt to Azadliq. Azadliq is one of the highest circulation
newspapers and among the most critical media outlets in the country.
It has faced severe difficulties in recent years due to state control
of the advertising market and printing and distribution facilities,
and hefty fines imposed as the result of numerous defamation cases.
Many of its editors and reporters have been subjected to imprisonment
or violent attacks.
Persecution of critical journalists
On 23 August 2012, freelance journalist Faramaz Novruzoglu joined
the ranks of Azerbaijan's imprisoned journalists after a Baku court
sentenced him to four and a half years in prison on charges of illegal
border crossing and inciting public disorder. Novruzoglu believes the
charges are connected with a series of articles he published exposing
government corruption. He has previously served prison sentences in
2009 and 2007 in connection with his journalistic activities.
On 29 August 2012, a Baku court dismissed a case brought by Tolishi
Sedo newspaper editor-in-chief Hilal Mammadov against the prison
administration alleging that he was treated inhumanely in detention.
Mammadov has been in detention since June 2012 and faces life in
prison on charges of high treason and inciting hatred.
Khural newspaper editor-in-chief Avaz Zeynalli has recently reported
a number of serious health problems which have worsened in detention,
including kidney stones, radiculitis and chronic rhinitis. Zeynalli
has been detained since October 2011, facing up to 12 years in prison
on charges of extortion and failure to implement a court decision,
based on a Member of Parliament's claims that Zeynalli attempted to
blackmail her.
Journalist Idrak Abbasov reported continued acts of harassment
against him and his family, as unknown assailants have attempted to
break into his car outside his home three times over the past few
weeks, most recently on 28 August 2012. Abbasov, a correspondent of
the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) and Ayna and
Zerkalo newspapers, was severely beaten to the point of hospitalisation
in April 2012 by a group of State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR)
employees whilst filming their demolition of houses in his village. So
far no one has been prosecuted for the attack.
Independent and opposition newspapers face growing distribution
problems
Monitoring undertaken by a group of media workers and IRFS
representatives on 1 September 2012 showed that many of Baku's
newsstands do not carry newspapers or carry an insufficient quantity
to meet demand. Some of the vendors interviewed reported that
they received instructions stemming from an alleged order by an
employee of the Baku Mayor's office to boycott the company GASID,
which distributes independent and opposition newspapers such as Ayna,
Zerkalo, Yeni Musavat and Azadliq. More than half of GASID's newsstands
in Baku have been shut down over the past year as new kiosks selling
sundries but not newspapers have been installed in their place,
with support from the Baku Mayor's office.
The IPGA calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to take immediate steps
to improve this alarming situation and to fulfill their international
obligations to respect and protect the right to freedom of expression,
including:
~U Immediately cease proceedings to evict Azadliq newspaper from its
offices in the state-owned printing house and allow the newspaper to
continue to print whilst an agreement regarding the newspaper's debt
is reached;
~U Immediately and unconditionally release Hilal Mamamdov, Faramaz
Novruzoglu, Avaz Zeynalli, and all other journalists currently
detained or imprisoned in connection with exercising their right
to free expression, and cease arresting persons for politically
motivated reasons;
~U Take immediate steps to improve detention conditions for Hilal
Mammadov and Avaz Zeynalli, including promptly and impartially
investigating reports of inhumane treatment of Mammadov and ensuring
that Zeynalli receives immediate medical attention;
~U Redouble efforts to investigate the attack against Idrak Abbasov
and bring the perpetrators to justice, and investigate recent acts of
harassment against him and put a stop to this continued pressure; and
~U Cease support for a boycott of the GASID distribution company and
create fair distribution conditions for all newspapers.
The following IPGA member organisations support this statement:
~U ARTICLE 19 ~U Committee to Protect Journalists ~U Freedom House
~U Index on Censorship ~U Media Diversity Institute ~U Norwegian
Helsinki Committee ~U Reporters Without Borders (Azerireport).