Media Ethics in the Election Period and the Violated Rights of Khadija Ismail

Baku/18.09.13/Turan : How should journalists perform their professional obligations during election campaigns? The answer to this question was discussed on September 18 at the Park Inn Hotel during a conference on "Ethics of media during elections" organized by the local representative of the American organization IREX in support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID.)

The conference was to promote quality coverage by journalists during the campaign phase, in compliance with professional ethics.

The U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Richard Morningstar, said U.S. support for freedom of the media. "Free media enlightens the population and increases the responsibility of the government." In his view, during this period freedom of elections is particularly important. According to him, Azerbaijani media, regardless of political orientation, provide a precise and objective coverage of events and information. This requires professionalism and ethical responsibility.

"Some media agencies give preference to information based on gossip, rumors, speculation, and the use of quotations, which do not correspond to reality. There was a news report that the U.S. ambassador was recalled to Washington, even though I was sitting here in my office. I urge all media to make adjustments in their work to ensure the dissemination of accurate information," said Morningstar.

However, there are courageous journalists who prepare articles on international standards and are subjected to pressure for it.

“The Black PR campaign against journalist Khadija Ismail is a concern. That attitude is unacceptable to all or anyone. This harms Azerbaijani values," Morningstar said.  In the 19th century, there was a tradition of successful development of Azerbaijani press.

"The U.S. wants more successful development of Azerbaijan, for this is important to have free media and successful journalists," Morningstar said.

First Deputy Editor of "Azadlig", Rahim Hajiyev, noted ironically that with the increase of applications in defense of H.Ismail a campaign against her strengthened. 

Editor in chief of “Khalq Cebhesi", Elchin Mirzabeyli, argued that H.Ismail also violated professional ethics when she wrote about the illness of the late Elchibey.

Morningstar further stressed that journalists can not be subjected to pressure for publications.

“The materials about Khadija Ismail on Internet are unacceptable. It is necessary to raise a voice of protest against this," he said.

The head of the Press Council, Aflatun Amashev, believes that there is freedom of media in the country.

But the main problem is the media’s economic weakness and lack of access to advertising.

According Amashev, during the elections in the Press Council a hotline will operate and monitor against black PR.

However, participants in the debate told Amashev that the even government-sponsored newspaper "Azerbaijan" does not comply with the norms of professional ethics, and publish negative articles about the opposition, without giving a word to the objects of criticism. The chief editor of the newspaper "Azerbaijan" is a board member of the Press Council.

Amashev was also told about the site İctimaipalatka.az functioning for several months which is hosts offensive content to the opposition.  In response, Amashev said that in the near future will be a law on defamation. Many international experts talked about the importance of media criticism, even on official activities of the government.

"To be in opposition to the government, does not mean being an enemy of the state.

BBC official UK media, criticizes the government, “said the professor of media policy from the UK, Ivor Gaber .  He believes that to ensure the freedom of the media there is a need for a perfect law, and political will."

"Recently, I saw the Stalin constitution.  Its Article 135 guarantees democratic freedoms. However, we all know how things were in the Soviet Union then.," said the British expert.—03C06--