167: Step Forward

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 -  According to the Reporters without Borders (RSF) 2021 - Azerbaijan ranked 167th out of 180 countries in the world in the Press Freedom Index. How objective is the report?

-The main reason that Azerbaijan ranks one of the last in the index is the lack of a favorable environment in the country for free media activity. The press is financially dependent on the government, with a few exceptions. Access to finance, which is one of the main factors in media independence, is very low, and advertising revenues are not available. Back in the early 2000s, the government eliminated the existing environment for the comfortable functioning of journalists and the media, adopted various tough laws. At the same time, the functioning of laws protecting journalists was not ensured; those who committed illegal actions against journalists were not convicted. When these conditions were combined, the environment for the free activity of the press was eliminated in the country, so we ended up in one of the last places in this rating. This index suggests that there are no conditions for independent media activity in Azerbaijan. I think this approach cannot be considered inadequate to the real situation.

- Can the place in the rating and the press freedom index of Azerbaijan show the real picture?

- Mistakes in approaches to various directions related to the media environment may occur. However, this does not change the overall picture. For two years already, the media policy in Azerbaijan is not up to the mark, and the government recognizes this. This means that certain steps have been taken to change the situation. Let us look from the other side, is there such an independent media that could provide itself with advertising? Not. Have local courts ever ruled in favor of a journalist? Also no. Are any public structures, officials held accountable for keeping information secret and not responding to requests? - No, they not. Have journalists been prosecuted for their materials? -Yes, they were. Has the practice of arresting journalists on suspicious charges been eliminated? - No, not. Is the media pluralistic and versatility ensured? - Not. We can continue with this series of questions and answers. Against the background of all that has been said, it would be unthinkable to expect a different vision - the talk is about the rating.

-Why does Azerbaijan rank the last every year? What is the reason? Is there no change for the better? Who doesn't allow it? What are they afraid of?

-The report of Reporters without Borders emphasizes that all versatility suffocates in Azerbaijan. Independent journalists, bloggers are exposed to threats, blackmail, bribery, if they do not obey, then they are arrested on false charges. Journalists, bloggers who emigrated from Azerbaijan are not given rest, in order to silence them, pressure is being exerted on their relatives and family members in Azerbaijan. The main reliable news sources remain blocked. There were expectations from the reforms announced at the end of 2019, but these expectations did not come true, Reporters without Borders said. This is not news for us, but a familiar picture. The journalist is being prevented from carrying out his professional activities, although this is a violation of the law, the necessary steps are not taken. For 10-15 years there have been journalistic deaths, Elmar Huseynov was killed, but the killer was not found. Dozens of journalists were arrested and the answer to these questions is in themselves.

 - Azerbaijan’s closest neighbors, Georgia ranks 60th, and Armenia ranks 63rd. What is the difference between their media and Azerbaijani media; why do they rank the best places in the index?

- The volume of the advertising media market in Georgia, expressed in official statistics, is more than 100 times larger than that in Azerbaijan. The media do not need government assistance. Journalists are not arrested for libel. Pluralism is ensured, journalists have access to information. Legal mechanisms to protect journalists are in place. Similar situation is in Armenia. With such assessments, countries take their rightful place.

- What steps should be taken to take good places in such indices, to improve the position of the media in Azerbaijan as a whole?

- The government should take the steps necessary to eliminate all noted and unremarked deficiencies. Laws should protect the media, journalists. Socially dangerous acts directed against journalists must be investigated, the perpetrators must be held accountable before the law. It is necessary to reform laws that criminalize libel and insult, intimidating journalists and forcing self-censorship. Public disclosure must be ensured. Government agencies should be open to the media. All this should be done by the state, to create a favorable environment for the media to function freely. The government knows best about the problems in this area. A number of events of the past two years also testified to this - the presidential aide Ali Hasanov, who mainly carried out media policy, was removed from office. Then the head of the State Fund for Assisting the Media was removed from office and arrested. There have been changes. That is, the government announced problems in this area. Currently there are certain initiatives. These initiatives should be implemented by refusing to use the media in the interests of the authorities. The main condition is that the media are suppressed. If this condition is not met, then no matter what you do, we will be at the bottom lines of the indices for a long time.