ASSA-Irada,
7, April 2008

The media is experiencing challenging times in Azerbaijan, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti visiting Baku said Monday.

He said both sides should take steps to find a way out of the situation. "The government should liberalize the media market and abolish the provisions of the Criminal Code on defamation. Moreover, there should be no state media, while the media, in turn, should not publish unverified reports and regulate itself."

The OSCE representative said it was evident that the Azerbaijani government is trying to take control over local media, which is unacceptable.

He emphasized that journalists should not face criminal charges over mistakes omitted during their professional activity. He added: "We are following the situation with freedom of speech in Azerbaijan and register the facts concerning violations of journalists' rights. The authorities should put an end to such instances in close cooperation with mass media. It is not the duty of the authorities to safeguard free press, but journalists should stand by the media."

Haraszti arrived in Baku on Sunday. He held his first meeting with the employee of the Azadlig newspaper Agil Khalil who was recently attacked, and enquired about the investigation under way into his case.

Haraszti also attended the presentation of a book containing instructions on self-regulation prepared by the OSCE. He said that to solve the problems faced by Azerbaijani media, its full independence should be achieved. "The OSCE, for its part, will work in this direction jointly with other international organizations."

Representatives of the journalistic organizations attending the meeting requested that Haraszti exert influence on the authorities to release the three journalists still jailed in the country.

The presidential administration official Vugar Aliyev says international groups should work in two directions. "Along with supporting journalistic organizations, it is necessary to increase the professional level of journalists."

Aliyev said that since Azerbaijan was pursuing Western integration, the government's taking control over the media was impossible.

During the visit to last till Tuesday, Haraszti is expected to meet with officials and call on the jailed journalists.