President of the Union of Journalists of Azerbaijan and editor of the newspaper "Zerkalo", Elchin Shikhli, considers the situation of media freedom in the country is extremely poor.
Summing up the results of the past year in an interview with "Voice of America", he recalled the arrest of the columnist of "Ayna-Zerkalo" Rauf Mirkadyrov, as well as the financial problems of this newspaper, after which she was forced to close it.
"My 24-year-old job went to nowhere, so for me the 2014 turned out to be tragic. With regard to freedom of expression, the situation is similar: in Azerbaijan there are small islands that still support the freedom of speech, but they gradually melt away," said Shikhli.
There are many journalists in custody, and now there is a struggle for their liberation, for their lives, not the freedom of speech, said Shikhli. He stressed the importance of preventing new arrest of journalists. "My greatest desire is the release of Rauf Mirkadyrov, and his freedom," said his editor.
International organizations believe that the situation in Azerbaijan with freedom of speech is deplorable, and authorities say the opposite. The authorities think differently, believing that the media in Azerbaijan are very free, but according to international organizations, Baku violates all possible paragraphs, articles and international conventions on freedom of speech and freedom of the press, said Shikhli.
The authorities can find a way out of this situation, it is enough to change the attitude of the press, and understand what freedom of the media means. All the international community understands this, and the government must come to understand that. Then things can change.
"Unfortunately, in Azerbaijan public opinion is at a very low level. Most people who can raise their voices and have your say, subjected to pressure and threats. Such is the reality today in the country," said Elchin Shikhli. -03В-
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