On 11-12 October 2007 in Tbilisi, Georgia, the OSCE Representative for Media Freedom and the OSCE office in Georgia hosted the fourth annual conference on media self-regulation in the South Caucasus. Representatives from mass media and journalism organizations from the South Caucasus participated in the event. At the end of the conference a statement on self-regulation of the press in the South Caucasus was adopted. (17-OCT-07)
      
Placed on the website by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Azerbaijan on the basis of information from IRFS

The event opened with a speech by Giyom Siemensky. After this there were various sessions about self-regulation of the press and public TV channels, activities of press councils in the South Caucasus and many other topics. During the session, lectures were presented by representatives of the journalism organizations, ombudsman offices, press councils and TV channels from France, Bulgaria, Turkey and the Russian Federation.

On the second day of the conference, discussions were carried out on recent events in the South Caucasus’ press sector. “Yeni Nesil” Journalist Union Chairman Arif Aliyev, “Azadlig” Newspaper Chief Editor Genimet Zahid, Press Council Chairman Aflatun Amashev and Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety representative Rasul Jafarov spoke about the situation in Azerbaijan. During their statements, they noted that seven journalists remain in prison, despite appeals for their release, the lack of an advertising market for the press and how this affects press, the ineffectiveness of the “Access to Information” Law, and so on. After this, Presidential Administration representative Kamran Hasanov responded to some of the statements. In particular, in response Jafarov’s statement that “Bizim Yol” Newspaper staff member Mushfig Huseynov was entrapped, Hasanov claimed that M. Huseynov was involved in bribery and that he does not believe Huseynov was entrapped.

It was also noted during the discussions, that in Georgia criminal libel and defamation laws have been repealed, but this has not resulted in an increased amount of defamatory articles publish, as some officials claim would occur here. 

At the end of the conference a statement on self-regulation of the press in the South Caucasus was adopted. This statement can be viewed in English and Russian at www.osce.org/fom.

Participants
The following people participated in the conference on behalf of Azerbaijan:
1)Kamran Hasanov, Presidential Administration representative, 2) Genimet Zahid, “Azadlig” Newspaper Chief Editor, 3) Rauf Talishinski, “Exo” Newspaper Chief Editor, 4) Lachin Sultanova, APA editor, 5) Hugug Salmanov, “RUH” Journalists Union, 6) Rashad Mejid, “525-gazeti” Chief Editor, 7) Yadigar Mammedli, Democratic Journalists League Chairman, 8) Elchin Huseynov, “Trend” News Agency staff member, 9) Rashid Hajili, Media Rights Institute, 10) Azer Garachanli, “Mediaforum.az” website director,  11) Sevda Balayeva, Female Journalists’ Association, 12) Aflatun Amashev, Press Council Chairman, 13) Arif Aliyev, “Yeni Nesil” Journalists Union Chairman, 14) Alekber Aliyev, “Express” Newspaper staff member, 15) Rasul Jafarov, Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety staff member.