A number of events were held in Azerbaijan on occasion of the International Human Rights Day, organized by national and international human rights actors. At all events the poor record of human rights, especially freedom of expression in Azerbaijan was a main conclusion and special concern. (11-DEC-07)
Written by Shahla Ismayilova/HRH Azerbaijan on the basis of the materials from Turan Info Agency, IRFS
International conference 
On 9 December, the international conference on human rights and the freedom of speech situation was conducted in the “Cressent Beach” Hotel in Baku. The goal of the conference was to assess and discuss the current human rights situation in the country. During the event, Denis Bribosia (right) – chairman of the European Council Baku Office, Ingrid Gossinger – Europa House coordinator, Andres Herkel – Parliamentary Assembly of European co-rapportuer for Azerbaijan and others made speeches, and expressed their opinions on this topic. At the end of the event, the conference’s participants appealed to the international community for assistance to improve the human rights situation in Azerbaijan.
Defamation Report
On 10 December 2007 in the International Press Center, the Media Rights Institute unveiled its defamation report for 2007. Media Rights Institute head Rashid Hajili said that in 2007 there were 10 times more court proceedings against the press than they were in 2005. In 2007, 12,460,684 AZN was sought from press institutions through lawsuits. On the basis of this, the courts adopted decisions to fine the press a grand total of 942,399.
Attitude of OSCE
OSCE Special Representative on Media Freedom Miklos Naraszti (right) gave an interview to “Radio Liberty” about journalism in Azerbaijan. In the interview, Haraszti emphasized that “Azerbaijan’s government knows how to resolve the journalism problem, because they have done this before, and if they want to they can do it again”. Haraszti expressed his opinion on the low professional level of journalists. He said, “I discussed this matter with Elmar Mammedyarov (ed. Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs), because like other officials he claims that that the low professional level of journalists plays a central role in the arrest of journalists. There is not a single country in the world where there is both a high professional level of journalists and total freedom of expression. It is not possible to raise journalists’ professional level by making more severe the punishment for mistakes. Haraszti said, “It is not possible to increase the professional level of a journalist who lives in fear of being arrested by police and publishes the newspaper in a manner so he/she is not criminally prosecuted. The biggest help the government can give, it is give journalism a period of freedom so that it can come into its own.”
Reaction of the government
“Yeni Musavat” Newspaper spoke via telephone to Vugar Aliyev, a department head in the Presidential Administration, to clarify government’s attitude toward the press and its future plans regarding the media. Aliyev said that there is no pressure against the press in Azerbaijan. There are enough relevant rules both in the legislation and from a practical standpoint that relate to uninhibited activity of the press. “Simply everyone, irregardless of whether they are a journalist or just a citizen must act within the framework of the law,” said Aliyev. Everyone is free to choose the manner in which they struggle while expressing their opinions, Aliyev said, while commenting on the hunger strike action. “Such kind of undesirable problems wouldn’t occur if the matters were solved within the framework of the law and the code of ethics adopted the Press Council was adhered,” said Aliyev.
