Editor of Gundelik Baku Detained

Yesterday the State Security Service (SSS) detained Habil Veliyev, editor of the Gundelik Baki paper, according to sources in the publishing house Azerbaijan, where the newspaper is printed.

The editorial staff confirmed that the night before Veliyev was detained "during an operation," but the reason for the detention and the charges against the editor are unknown.

In turn, SSS has not yet extended the official information on the matter and our attempts to receive comments from the SSS Public Relations Center failed.

It should be noted that last week the editor of Bizim Dovran, Surkhay Aliyev was arrested on charges of racketeering.

As observers note, SSS actions are aimed at curbing the activities of individuals who abuse the status of journalist and are engaged in blackmail and extortion.

It is noteworthy that both the above-mentioned publications were included in the Press Council blacklist of racketeer publications. However, in respect of them any measures were not taken, which gave reason to believe that their "roof" is some high-ranking officials.

Some media reports say that the above-mentioned newspapers acted on orders from former senior officials of the abolished Ministry of National Security, who are now under arrest. They used the publications in these newspapers as incriminating evidence against businesses.

Many of these publications occupy offices in the state publishing house Azerbaijan working under the supervision of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan.

According to the Chairman of Azerbaijan Journalists Union Elchin Shikhli, prosperity of this press was provided by the authorities themselves. “I do not accept the concept of "racketeering journalism", because it is not journalism. 10-12 years ago there was a meeting with one of the heads of law enforcement agencies, and he complained of such publications, which deliberately write ordered articles against him and his ministry. Then I said they should just stop financing the undesirable publications and all this will stop. For without external financial assistance, no media can survive in the current circumstances in the country,” Shikhli said.

Prosperity of "racketeering journalism" is contributed by the very state policy in the field of media. The State Media Support Fund is actually busy distributing handouts and most of the beneficiaries are little-known newspapers of questionable content, the impact of which on public opinion is zero. Public opinion is already formed by citizens through social networks, Shikhli said.

An expert in the field of media rights Alasgar Mammadli considers that the prosperity of racketeering publications is contributed by the protection of high-ranking officials. He also noted that many of the rooms in the state publishing house Azerbaijan are occupied just by such "editorial offices".

One reason for the "racketeering journalism" is the opacity of the media organizations, and the lack of information about the sources of their financing and the institutions of real public censure of those who violate professional ethics.  -03D06-