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IFJ Secretary General Aidan White accuses some Azerbaijani media organizations of giving false information

21 November 2007 14:28 (UTC +04:00)

IFJ representative in Azerbaijan Journalistsâ€™ Trade Union told APA that Aidan White delivered speech in the international conference organized by Freedom of Speech Protection Fund and had meetings with different media outlets. He had meetings in Azerbaijani Press Council, Journalistsâ€™ Trade Union, International Eurasia Press Fund, Democratic Journalistsâ€™ League, Baku bureau of radio Liberty, Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, Committee for Defense of Eynulla Fatullayevâ€™s rights, Presidentâ€™s Office, US and British embassies in Azerbaijan and discussed the state of Azerbaijani media.
Chairman of Journalistsâ€™ Trade Union Mushfig Alasgarli, who accompanied IFJ Secretary General at the meetings, said that Aidan White expressed his position on the state of Azerbaijani media at the end of his visit. He noted that the media in Azerbaijan achieved important successes, but it also has problems.
He stated that Azerbaijani media is on the new stage already, but several serious changes should be carried out for achieving success in this stage. Qualification of legislation is among the important changes. Aidan White urged government representatives to adopt law on defamation urgently. He also focused on changing articles 147-148 articles of Criminal Code and wanted release of imprisoned journalists. Commenting on Azerbaijan media representativesâ€™ opinions on not being ready to adopt law on defamation he said that IFJ will implement varied programs in Azerbaijan soon for ensuring their functioning in the environment of defamation. Leading media representatives will be involved to courses, enlightening seminars will be organized in the framework of the program.
Aidan White also gave serious proposals while meeting with journalist organizations. He called on media organizations closely cooperate with international organizations, avoid politization, to be responsible in their statements. Contradictious positions of Azerbaijani journalist organizations also create problems for international organizations. He said that he accepted anxiety on including name of Nazim Guliyev, founder of â€œIdealâ€ newspaper to challenges on release of imprisoned journalists, said that this erroneousness occurred as a result of false policy of several media organizations in Azerbaijan. He recommended to journalist organizations not to confuse them in such contradictious momentum, not to mix up journalists-racketeers with real representatives of free speech.
Aidan White stated that they will implement actions they intend in Azerbaijan as from early months of 2008. /APA/