MRI is alarmed for the safety of journalists

Media Rights Institute (MRI) has published a report entitled  "The legal status of media in Azerbaijan-2012", which assesses the state of press freedom in the country.

In particular, it is stated that there is no practice of effective investigation of crimes against journalists and the facts of pressure in Azerbaijan. All this intimidates journalists, restrains them from the critical press coverage.

According to the MRI, in 2012,  the journalists were at least 60 times  subjected to physical and psychological pressure, threats, surveillance, illegal detention, technical barriers. The talk is about the journalists known for their critical media content - radio "Azadlig", newspaper "Azadlig", "Yeni Musavat", Turan agency, on-line TV "Objective TV".

Despite the official investigation, no one of them was brought to an end, and no one was  punished. In 2012,  a hidden camera footage  on the intimate life of the journalist Khadija Ismailova were placed on Internet. Prior to this,  the state-run television channel "Leader" showed footage of intimate life of employees of the newspaper "Azadlig" Natiq Adilova  and Tural Aliyev.

In 2012, 10 journalists were arrested on different charges, some of them were pardoned at the end of the year, however, seven people were still in detention: editor of "Khural" newspaper Avaz Zeynalli, the head of the  website Azadxeber.org Nijat Aliyev, the Editor of "Tolyshi sado" Hilal Mammadov, editor xeber44.com Araz Guliyev, TV journalists Vugar Gonagov and Zaur Guliyev. In addition, Faramaz Allahverdiyev was  sentenced to 4.5 years.

The role of censorship play also large court fines against newspapers. In 2012, 35 lawsuits for defamation were filed, most of them against "Azadlig" newspaper, "Yeni Musavat", "Khural" and "Gundem  Heber." The total amount of court penalties against  media was 200 000 AZN.

At the same time, seven lawsuits in a private prosecution  were filed against journalists, but the courts did not satisfy them.

In 2012 restrictive changes  were made to the laws  on the access to information, on state registration of legal entities,  and on  commercial secret. According to the amendments, it is not  allowed  to make audio-video recording without permission; fees for certain types of information, commercial  secrets  have become register details on the owners of legal entities.

There are problems with the distribution of printed media. In 2011 operated 700 points for distribution newspapers, in 2012, were eliminated 200 kiosks. New stalls refuse to sell  opposition media.

"Pro-government media are supported by the presidential administration. So at the end of 2012 a copy of the order of the head of the presidential administration Ramiz Mehdiyev to the state structures  with recommendations to subscribe to the 13 types of media, appeared in media" the report says.

In 2012, lawsuits were filed against blogger Elnur Majidli (in exile), and an active user of social networks, reporter  of the  IRFS, Mehman Huseynov.  TV channels, frequency,  and the National Broadcasting Council, remain under government control.

Three state TV channels are financed by the state budget. Norms of the law on tenders for vacant frequencies  are not  fulfilled. -06В—