OSCE Media Freedom Representative Miklos Haraszti (on the right) released his annual report on media freedom in the OSCE space. According to Haraszti there are still serious problems in the Azerbaijan’s media sector, like the unsolved murder of Elmar Huseynov, the unjustified eviction of Azadlig Newspaer, Turan and other media organs from Khagani 33 last fall, and the imprisonment of satirist/journalist Sakit Zahidov. (29-MAR-07)

Written by Shahla Ismailova, HRH Baku on the basis of materials from Turan Information Agency and Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety; photo by Yeni Musavat.

Haraszti wrote, “In my previous report to the Permanent Council I expressed my disappointment with the deterioration of the situation in Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, I cannot state that there has been improvement since.
 
In particular, I am alarmed by the dramatic increase in the number of criminal defamation charges brought against journalists by public officials. The most recent cases involve the weekly independent newspaper Nota Bene: its reporter Faramaz Novruzoqlu and chief editor Sardar Alibeyli were sentenced on 30 January 2007 to two years in prison and 18 months of corrective labour respectively for defamation and libel under Articles 147 and 148 of the Criminal Code.
 
These cases demonstrate the crucial importance for Azerbaijan to initiate decriminalisation reform.
Further, in my letter to President Aliyev on 27 November 2006, I raised:
• Impediments of ANS TV’s license renewal, resulting in a brief suspension of its broadcasting in 
   November 2006;
• The eviction of the opposition newspaper Azadliq, Turan News Agency, and some other media
   outlets from their state-owned premises;
• The satirical poet and journalist Mirza Sakit Zahidov is still imprisoned serving a three year
   sentence on drug-related charges, an allegation he strongly denies;
• Writer Rafiq Tagi and editor Samir Sedagetoglu of the Baku-based Senet, accused of stirring up
   religious hatred with an allegedly derogatory statement on Prophet Mohammed, are still in pre-
   trial detention: the hearing of their case was recently postponed.

I feel compelled to remind the authorities that two years after the brutal assassination of Elmar Huseynov, the perpetrators are still not brought to justice. This continues to impose a significant ‘chilling effect’ on Azerbaijani journalists. Full transparency of the progress and results of this investigation, together with full access for the media to court hearings should be guaranteed.