“I am very happy to hear this news.
I would like to thank the Rafto Foundation and the Norwegian human rights community for presenting me with such an honor. This award has been presented to many very distinguished and courageous people before me. I think I am the first recipient from Azerbaijan. I am humbled and overwhelmed.
This prize is for human rights, for democracy and for free media – values that we must fight for in Azerbaijan and values that all people deserve.
This prize will encourage me to continue to work for these things in my country, and I hope it will encourage others. This prize means that our efforts are recognized and they are supported by the global human rights community, even if we sometimes feel they are ignored or thwarted at home.
I would like to thank my colleagues, friends and coworkers in the human rights community in Azerbaijan and at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Turan News Agency for supporting me in my work all these years, and I would like to recognize them for their bravery and commitment to human rights and democracy every day. I would also like to thank my husband, Ilqar who has always stood by me.
Finally, I would like to take a moment to remember that in Azerbaijan we currently have three journalists in jail, we have political prisoners, and we have Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, two young bloggers on trial for the crime of free speech.
Let this prize give them hope.
Malahat Nasibova,
September 24, 2009
Nakhchivan
Republic Azerbaijan”
