Problems with freedom of media in Azerbaijan sounded at the conference in Kiev

Baku / 13.09.17 / Turan: Problems with freedom of the press in Azerbaijan are raised at the forum in Kiev, which is devoted to media issues in the post-Soviet countries. "Democracy and propaganda - is it possible for independent media to protect universal values?" This is the topic of the conference, organized in the Ukrainian capital of the EU as part of the media support program in the Eastern Partnership countries. Representatives of other countries of the "Eastern Partnership" also participated in the work of the conference, as well as representatives of media and experts from Azerbaijan. Before the forum with the video message of the release, Johannes Khan, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood. He noted the interest in media education of the society, the formation of public opinion. The Commissioner noted that ensuring the economic basis of the media is one of the main topics of this conference. Speaker at one of the conference panels was the former OSCE special representative on freedom of the media DunjaMijatovic. She touched upon the problems with media freedom in Azerbaijan, pointing out the unjustified criminal persecution of journalists and bloggers for their expressions. "Why is Khadija Ismail still unable to leave the country? Why was MehmanAliyev arrested? Why is MehmanHuseynov still under arrest? Why is MehmanHuseynov, the brother of EminHuseynov still unable to return to the country? "Miyatovich asked rhetorically. At the same time, she called positive the facts of the release from custody of MehmanAliyev, the pardoning of the president of Azerbaijan by blogger Alexander Lapshin, the earlier release from imprisonment KhadidjaIsmayilova. After discussions in the panels, discussions continuedat the plenary session. -16C--