Rachel Denber, Human Rights Watch's Deputy Director of the Europe and Central Asia Division, specializes in countries of the former Soviet Union, commented on the latest situation with the media in Azerbaijan, especially the situation around main-oppositional Azadlyg newspaper, which has been facing with risk of closure due to next wave of judicial and financial pressure...
"It's essential for the international community to speak out strongly about this situation...", Ms. Denber said in an interview with TURAN's Washington DC correspondent.
The defamation suit against Azadlyg, she said, "was brought by a public official, and under European Court standards, public officials are supposed to have a higher threshold of tolerance for public criticism".
In fact, government bodies and public authorities should not be able to bring defamation suits.
"Moreover, sanctions for defamation should not be so large as to exert a chilling effect on freedom of expression, they should be strictly proportionate to the actual harm caused. At least one of the defamation suits against Azadlyg was brought by a public official, and the award is for an amount that could very well cripple the paper.", she said adding, "One Azerbaijan's most-read newspapers is at risk of going under, independent journalists face harassment and intimidation for critical reporting, and there is a revolving door of journalists and editors who face defamation and other criminal charges... This kind of media environment is completely inappropriate for a country that is a Council of Europe member."
Asked "how do the attacks on the media influence the country's international image?," Ms. Denber answered that the government's attacks on media freedoms happen at a time when the Azerbaijani government is seeking greater international prestige, by hosting mega events such as the Eurovision Song Contest, or the Global Internet Forum. "These attacks harm Azerbaijan's international reputation".
Looking ahead, she said: "Well I try not to make predictions, the point is that the international community should send a very strong message to the government that media freedoms are under serious threat and must be addressed."
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