Tweet
AZERBAIJANI JOURNALISTS RECEIVED BUCERIUS PRIZE FOR PRESENTING CORRUPTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS COVERAGE IN THE COUNTRY
19:39 20/06/2013 " SOCIETY
Ceremony of awarding prestigious Gerd Bucerius Prize "Free Press of
Eastern Europe" over 2012 year took place in Oslo on Thursday. Among
the winners of the prize is a group of journalists from the countries
of the former Soviet Union, including two representatives of
Azerbaijan - the Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety (IRFS)
Mehman Huseynov and employee of the Azerbaijani service of "Radio
Liberty", Takhmina Tagizadeh, the Azerbaijani news agency Turan
reports.
As the jury noted, they won the award for the selfless coverage of
serious problems as corruption and human rights violations in
Azerbaijan.
Huseynov could not attend the ceremony due to the ban of the
authorities to leave the country because of the criminal case against
him, which, according to human rights activists, was fabricated, and
is politically motivated. Instead Huseynov, the prize was awarded to
his mother, Firangiz Huseynova.
Norway's State Secretary Gry Larsen welcomed the journalist's mother,
criticized the Azerbaijani authorities for not permitting Huseynov to
take part in the award ceremony.
Gerd Bucerius Prize was established by the German Foundation "ZEIT"
and the Norwegian Foundation for "Fritt Ord"; it is annually awarded
to journalists and the media for independent reporting, freedom of
expression and the media.
On June 17 on its way to receive the award in Oslo Huseinov was
detained in Baku airport and was taken to the police.
Azerbaijani security forces justified their actions by saying that
criminal proceedings had begun against the journalist.
Huseynov was accused of insulting and using force against the soldier
of Special Forces of Azerbaijani Interior Ministry during the shooting
of the video footage on protest on May 21, in 2012 at Fountain Square
in Baku. The journalist expressed his outrage about the fact that the
police officer broke his video camera when he was filming scenes of
violence against women protesters.
In this regard, "The Committee to Protect Journalists," condemned the
Azerbaijani authorities for using a travel ban on journalist M.
Huseynov, and noted that by this step the Azerbaijani authorities have
only confirmed the validity of reports of human rights abuses and
repression in their country.
Source: Panorama.am
From: A. Papazian
19:39 20/06/2013 " SOCIETY
Ceremony of awarding prestigious Gerd Bucerius Prize "Free Press of
Eastern Europe" over 2012 year took place in Oslo on Thursday. Among
the winners of the prize is a group of journalists from the countries
of the former Soviet Union, including two representatives of
Azerbaijan - the Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety (IRFS)
Mehman Huseynov and employee of the Azerbaijani service of "Radio
Liberty", Takhmina Tagizadeh, the Azerbaijani news agency Turan
reports.
As the jury noted, they won the award for the selfless coverage of
serious problems as corruption and human rights violations in
Azerbaijan.
Huseynov could not attend the ceremony due to the ban of the
authorities to leave the country because of the criminal case against
him, which, according to human rights activists, was fabricated, and
is politically motivated. Instead Huseynov, the prize was awarded to
his mother, Firangiz Huseynova.
Norway's State Secretary Gry Larsen welcomed the journalist's mother,
criticized the Azerbaijani authorities for not permitting Huseynov to
take part in the award ceremony.
Gerd Bucerius Prize was established by the German Foundation "ZEIT"
and the Norwegian Foundation for "Fritt Ord"; it is annually awarded
to journalists and the media for independent reporting, freedom of
expression and the media.
On June 17 on its way to receive the award in Oslo Huseinov was
detained in Baku airport and was taken to the police.
Azerbaijani security forces justified their actions by saying that
criminal proceedings had begun against the journalist.
Huseynov was accused of insulting and using force against the soldier
of Special Forces of Azerbaijani Interior Ministry during the shooting
of the video footage on protest on May 21, in 2012 at Fountain Square
in Baku. The journalist expressed his outrage about the fact that the
police officer broke his video camera when he was filming scenes of
violence against women protesters.
In this regard, "The Committee to Protect Journalists," condemned the
Azerbaijani authorities for using a travel ban on journalist M.
Huseynov, and noted that by this step the Azerbaijani authorities have
only confirmed the validity of reports of human rights abuses and
repression in their country.
Source: Panorama.am
From: A. Papazian