The ongoing pressure on the mass media in Azerbaijan caused the creation of one more organization – Coordination Council for Press Protection on the 24-th of November. Considering the freedom of speech as an integral part of human rights, the Coordination Council undertook a set of obligations for protecting journalists and promoting the fair conditions for all mass media outlets. (24-NOV-06)
Written by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku, on the basis of materials from Turan Info Agency, the Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety.
The establishment of the Coordination Council aws accompanied with the release of the statement, given below.
Statement on the establishment of Coordination Council for Press Protection
Freedom of the press and freedom of speech are the fundamental basis of civil freedoms and a society that has chosen the democratic path of development. As experience and history of development in world civilization shows, no state is able to guarantee political and civil rights, the development of a free economy, and equal and fair conditions for self-expression of their citizens without freedom of the press and freedom of expression. All authoritarian or totalitarian governments will collapse sooner or later, in the absence of freedom of speech, totalitarian lies and moral violence.
We have burst through the iron curtain of Soviet totalitarianism and assumed the responsibility to build a new state based on the fundamental principles of civil freedoms and first of all freedom of speech. Each of us made every effort to protect and promote these principles. But in the current situation, when freedom of speech is in danger in Azerbaijan, our uncoordinated efforts are insufficient. We have not been able to fully protect the institution of freedom of speech. The authoritarian government attempts to strengthen control over the mass media, suppress and suffocate the free press, murder, arrest and intimidate journalists, impose fines and deprive the independent media of economic independence.
Taking into account the threats and challenges to freedom of speech and press in Azerbaijan and realizing our responsibility, we, representatives of civil society, have decided to consolidate our efforts, express solidarity to protect fundamental freedoms, and announce the creation of the Coordination Center for Protection of Freedom of Speech.
We have assumed the following obligations:
1. To protect freedom of speech as an integral part of human rights,
2. To struggle for journalists’ rights to collect and disseminate information, as well as to comment and/or criticize any persons;
3. To protect journalists from criminal prosecution;
4. To safeguard the security of journalists, to protect them from threats and violence;
5. To lay claims for the economic freedom and prosperity of the independent media;
6. To struggle for the creation of equal and fair conditions for all media outlets.
November 24, 2006. Azerbaijan, Baku. Building of Azadlig daily’s editorial office.
