Freedom House Condemns Pressure on Journalists in Azerbaijan

Baku / 09.19.19 / Turan: The Freedom House human rights organization condemned the facts of pressure and harassment of journalists in a number of OSCE countries - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and its territory Crimea.

As stated in the organization"s appeal to the participants of the OSCE"s Human Development event that ended in Warsaw, the persecution of journalists in these countries does not stop.

In particular, they are persecuting representatives of national minorities (Crimean Tatars) demanding the guarantee of their rights and freedoms, as well as press workers who raise these issues.

In Azerbaijan, a campaign of blackening and persecution manifested itself in the case of the journalist Khadija Ismayilova, who investigated the facts of corruption of the country's ruling elite.

A similar campaign was conducted against Sevinj Osmangyzy, a journalist living in the United States, and Ikram Rahimov, editor of the realliq.info website.

"Ensuring a safe environment for the work of journalists is one of the pillars of democracy at the core of OSCE values," the statement says.

In this regard, Freedom House called on the authorities of the above countries:

1. To comprehensively investigate attacks on journalists and punish those responsible.

2. To stop the practice of persecution for far-fetched reasons of journalists criticizing the authorities.

3. To improve legislation regarding freedom of the press. -16D-