On 24 May, the World Press Freedom Committee sent the letter to the President of Azerbaijan I.Aliyev. The letter reads: “Your Excellency, on behalf of the World Press Freedom Committee —an organization representing 45 press freedom groups from six continents— I wish to express my profound concern about the alarmingly high number of incarcerations of journalists in your country” (25-MAY-07)

Placed on website by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku

…including the recent ones of Rovshen Kebirli, editor of Mukhalifet, an opposition newspaper, and Yashar Agazade, a reporter of this publication. Mr. Kebirli and Mr. Agazade were sentenced to two and a half years in prison on May 16 as a result of the criminal defamation proceedings against them stemming from the publication of an article very critical of Parliament member Jalal Aliyev, a close relative of yours.
 
The article, published on Feb. 27, accuses Jalal Aliyev of corruption and mismanagement of agriculture fields. He reacted by pressing criminal defamation charges against the two journalists for “insulting his dignity.”
 
The local Caucus Media Investigations Center has rightly condemned the sentences calling them “politically motivated,” an attack on freedom of expression, and a violation of the country’s Constitution and of international treaties of which Azerbaijan is a signatory.

Messrs. Kebirli and Agazade have joined seven other journalists in prison, making Azerbaijan one of the least press-freedom friendly countries in the world. The names of theses professionals are Rovshan Kebirli, Yashar Agazade, Eynula Fetullayev, Mirze Sakit (Zahidov), Samir Sedaqetoglu, Rafiq Tagý and Feremez Allahverdiyev.

International judicial entities such as the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights have ruled that criminal defamation laws, the ones used to imprison these journalists, are in direct violation of the fundamental right to free speech and to a free press, which are also consecrated in your country’s Constitution.
 
These institutions also have abundant jurisprudence that supports the concept that public officials should expect more, and not less, scrutiny and criticism from the rest of society. This acceptance of being a willing target of the media’s slings and arrows also implies public officials should restrain from using these laws in order to silence criticism directed at them.
The effective silencing of these journalists sends a disturbing message to all press freedom forces in your country and abroad. These journalism professionals are part of a critical component to Azerbaijan’s democracy. Without a free and independent media, government officials cannot be kept accountable and responsive to the rest of society. Without this essential ingredient, transparency and good governance become impossible to achieve.
 
The incarcerations of Messrs Kebirli and Agazade and the rest of their colleagues constitute a frontal attack on the very press freedom principles whose respect is essential for the functioning of a democratic society. Therefore, your Excellency, I urge you to use the full extent of the executive power’s influence to begin immediately the appropriate proceedings to free all of them.
 
Respectfully,
E. Markham Bench
Executive Director
World Press Freedom Committee