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OSCE REPRESENTATIVE ON FREEDOM OF MEDIA: THERE IS NO HOPE TODAY FOR LIBERALIZATION OF AZERBAIJAN
17:50 03/03/2015 Â" SOCIETY
On the 10th anniversary of the death of Azeri journalist Elmar
Huseynov, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja
MijatoviÄ~G called on OSCE participating States to ensure journalists'
safety and the right to freedom of expression, the organization's
website reports.
"On the anniversary of the death of Elmar Huseynov, the issue
of journalists' safety must be raised. Attacks and harassment of
journalists in the OSCE region is growing while thorough investigations
are scarce, which has a chilling effect on free media," MijatoviÄ~G
noted, calling on the governments of all OSCE participating States to
thoroughly and fully investigate all attacks on media representatives
for performing their professional duties.
"These horrific crimes must be publicly condemned and the perpetrators
must be brought to justice to prevent an environment of intimidation,
fear and impunity," she added.
Elmar Huseynov, the founder and editor of the independent weekly news
magazine Monitor, was shot and killed outside his apartment on 2 March
2005. The magazine had been under constant pressure from authorities
for the critical nature of some of the articles published. Huseynov's
killers remain at large, the statement reads.
Dunja MijatoviÄ~G also published an article on The Huffington Post
regarding the situation in Azerbaijan. She begins her article
remembering a talk she had with the Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev 4 years ago. Soon after her visit journalists and bloggers
were released from jail, there were moves to liberalize laws, there
was hope. But today that hope has ended.
"Journalists and free-expression advocates sit in Azerbaijani jails
in record numbers. Their lot is growing. Azerbaijan scores near the
bottom of every objective ranking of nations based on free media and
free expression criteria," MijatoviÄ~G writes, pointing out to the fact
that it came as no surprise when Swiss authorities confirmed that human
rights defender Emin Huseynov was hiding out in its Embassy in Baku.
There are more than 10 members of the media, including journalists,
bloggers and social media activists, in prison today -- one of the
largest numbers of any country that is part of the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the publication reads,
noting that as the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja
MijatoviÄ~G has spoken out on numerous occasions.
In her article she mentions the names of arrested journalists and
human rights defenders, including Khadija Ismayilova, a journalist;
Rasul Jafarov, a free speech advocate; Seymur Hazi, a columnist for
the newspaper Azadliq; Omar Mamedov and Abdul Abilov, bloggers; Parviz
Hashimly, a journalist; Nijat Aliyev, editor-in-chief of azadxeber.org
news website, and Rashad Ramazanov, an independent blogger.
"The systematic shutdown of dissenting voices and their outlets are
clear violations of commitments on free media and free expression
that Azerbaijan has signed on to as a participating State of the
OSCE. But most of the world appears disinterested as Azerbaijan clamps
down even harder on the country's nascent media and civil society,"
MijatoviÄ~G writes, asking whether it is simply a matter of business
interests trumping human rights.
MijatoviÄ~G hopes that a high-profile diplomatic row with the Swiss
might shake some countries from their somnolent state. Emin Huysenov,
Khadija Ismayilova and all other members of the media are now the face
of free media, free expression and civil society in Azerbaijan. They
have done nothing wrong -- they are just doing a job. For this many of
them stand trial or have already been convicted, MijatoviÄ~G notes and
stresses that it is in the hands of President Aliyev to change course
and fulfill the dream of a modern, free and open Azerbaijan. "Few,
including me, a friend of Azerbaijan, are willing to assume he will.
But he must, as the first step, let all journalists go. He must set
them free. For the future of democracy in Azerbaijan," she concludes.
http://www.panorama.am/en/society/2015/03/03/mijatovic-azerbaijan/
17:50 03/03/2015 Â" SOCIETY
On the 10th anniversary of the death of Azeri journalist Elmar
Huseynov, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja
MijatoviÄ~G called on OSCE participating States to ensure journalists'
safety and the right to freedom of expression, the organization's
website reports.
"On the anniversary of the death of Elmar Huseynov, the issue
of journalists' safety must be raised. Attacks and harassment of
journalists in the OSCE region is growing while thorough investigations
are scarce, which has a chilling effect on free media," MijatoviÄ~G
noted, calling on the governments of all OSCE participating States to
thoroughly and fully investigate all attacks on media representatives
for performing their professional duties.
"These horrific crimes must be publicly condemned and the perpetrators
must be brought to justice to prevent an environment of intimidation,
fear and impunity," she added.
Elmar Huseynov, the founder and editor of the independent weekly news
magazine Monitor, was shot and killed outside his apartment on 2 March
2005. The magazine had been under constant pressure from authorities
for the critical nature of some of the articles published. Huseynov's
killers remain at large, the statement reads.
Dunja MijatoviÄ~G also published an article on The Huffington Post
regarding the situation in Azerbaijan. She begins her article
remembering a talk she had with the Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev 4 years ago. Soon after her visit journalists and bloggers
were released from jail, there were moves to liberalize laws, there
was hope. But today that hope has ended.
"Journalists and free-expression advocates sit in Azerbaijani jails
in record numbers. Their lot is growing. Azerbaijan scores near the
bottom of every objective ranking of nations based on free media and
free expression criteria," MijatoviÄ~G writes, pointing out to the fact
that it came as no surprise when Swiss authorities confirmed that human
rights defender Emin Huseynov was hiding out in its Embassy in Baku.
There are more than 10 members of the media, including journalists,
bloggers and social media activists, in prison today -- one of the
largest numbers of any country that is part of the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the publication reads,
noting that as the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja
MijatoviÄ~G has spoken out on numerous occasions.
In her article she mentions the names of arrested journalists and
human rights defenders, including Khadija Ismayilova, a journalist;
Rasul Jafarov, a free speech advocate; Seymur Hazi, a columnist for
the newspaper Azadliq; Omar Mamedov and Abdul Abilov, bloggers; Parviz
Hashimly, a journalist; Nijat Aliyev, editor-in-chief of azadxeber.org
news website, and Rashad Ramazanov, an independent blogger.
"The systematic shutdown of dissenting voices and their outlets are
clear violations of commitments on free media and free expression
that Azerbaijan has signed on to as a participating State of the
OSCE. But most of the world appears disinterested as Azerbaijan clamps
down even harder on the country's nascent media and civil society,"
MijatoviÄ~G writes, asking whether it is simply a matter of business
interests trumping human rights.
MijatoviÄ~G hopes that a high-profile diplomatic row with the Swiss
might shake some countries from their somnolent state. Emin Huysenov,
Khadija Ismayilova and all other members of the media are now the face
of free media, free expression and civil society in Azerbaijan. They
have done nothing wrong -- they are just doing a job. For this many of
them stand trial or have already been convicted, MijatoviÄ~G notes and
stresses that it is in the hands of President Aliyev to change course
and fulfill the dream of a modern, free and open Azerbaijan. "Few,
including me, a friend of Azerbaijan, are willing to assume he will.
But he must, as the first step, let all journalists go. He must set
them free. For the future of democracy in Azerbaijan," she concludes.
http://www.panorama.am/en/society/2015/03/03/mijatovic-azerbaijan/