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Azerbaijani Press Council holds roundtable on May 3 â€“ World Press Freedom Day

01 May 2009 12:52 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva â€“ APA. Azerbaijani Press Council has today held a roundtable on the occasion of May 3 â€“ World Press Freedom Day, APA reports. Chairman of the Press Council Aflatun Amashov said the World Press Freedom Day had been marked since 1993. Inadmissibility of censorship, release of the imprisoned journalists, punishment of those exerting pressure on journalists are being discussed all over the world. Amashov said Azerbaijani media began to strengthen from economic aspect after the decision was made to establish Fund of State Support for the Development of Mass Media. He said to make it easy for journalists to get information, meeting supported by the Presidentâ€™s Office will be held for mass media and heads of press services on May 20.

Head of Turan Information Agency Mehman Aliyev said expert group of the Press Council prepared a conception and presented to the Presidentâ€™s Office to solve problems between journalists and government bodies.

â€œWe expect these proposals to be realized. If these proposals are approved, journalistsâ€™ opportunities to get information will be ensured,â€ he said. Director General of APA News Agency Vusale Mahirgizi said the journalists still faced with problems to get information from the first sources. â€œThere were progresses in the solution of this problem in the past period. Particularly there was great move after the meeting of press secretaries and editor-in-chiefs with Ramiz Mehdiyev. The move was seen in the activity of press services of the law-enforcement organizations. Recently the journalists again started to face with problems with first sources. The government organizations try to get information necessary for them, but the press tries to get information necessary for the society. We canâ€™t reach an agreement with the government organizations in this field. The question is about the official statements on the official issues and prevention of rumour technologies in the country and mediaâ€.

US embassy public relations officer Tery Davidson said his country closely followed the situation of press in Azerbaijan. â€œPress freedom is the most important factor for the democracy. We want the press organizations to work as a business model and to succeed. Otherwise the press will have no importanceâ€. Davidson expressed concern over the government-press relations. â€œWe must to reduce the dependence of press on the government, international donors and political parties and to make them to work as an independent organizationâ€.