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Ali Hasanov: â€œLike other countries Azerbaijan is also facing some problems in ensuring freedom of speech and mediaâ€

10 November 2012 08:15 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Hafiz Heydarov â€“ APA. â€œToday the worldâ€™s attention has focused on Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is hosting a great international event - the 7th World Internet Governance Forum. 1500 internet managers, persons responsible for media and information, journalists, government representatives from more than 100 countries, representatives of international organizations are attending the forum. Holding such an event in our country creates some opinion regarding Azerbaijan in the world. Azerbaijan is not a country without problems. Like other post-Soviet countries Azerbaijan is also facing problems in ensuring freedom of speech and media,â€ chief of socio-political department of the Presidential Administration Ali Hasanov said at the seminar on â€œSafety of journalists during public demonstrationsâ€ organized by OSCE and Press Council, APA reports.

Ali Hasanov said unfortunately, some problems have negative impact on Azerbaijanâ€™s image.

â€œThis emerges as a result of the activity of some groups, organizations. Some are connected with the lack of information and professionalism. Today, we have gathered here to prevent the lack of professionalism,â€ he said.

Department chief said it is the first time that such an event is held on the joint initiative of the government, media representatives and agencies representing OSCE and at the expenses of the state. Speaking about media problems Ali Hasanov said:
â€œFirst, as a result of journalistsâ€™ failure to identify their functions, to fulfill the necessary procedures while covering the event, some problems occur between the agencies preventing these events and journalists. As an example, I can say that such an incident happened in Azerbaijan on the eve of the Eurovision song contest this year. When the measures were taken against illegal constructions and settlements in the areas belonging to the State Oil Company, the clash occurred with the citizens settled illegally. The duty of the State Oil Company is to protect and clear their areas from illegal settlement, because the oil produced there forms our state budget. Unfortunately, some citizens constructed houses in these places. I regret that journalist Idrak Abbasov also participated in the clash. Earlier, he had been involved in two similar incidents.
Apparently, he doesnâ€™t choose correct place or incited by some forces gets involved in some clashes and later says he is a journalist. As a result of this, he created some problems against our state. I donâ€™t go into details of this incident, but I can say that those, who used force against him, insist say that he is not a journalist. But Idrak Abbasov claims that he was persecuted, because he is a journalist. I reiterate that we organize seminars to prevent such incidents.â€