EOC President is handed a petition calling for help to release the Azerbaijani journalists

 on 30 April the representatives of the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)  April met with the  President of the European Olympic Committee Patrick Hickey. The meeting was held in the office of the Olympic Council of Ireland in Dublin.

According to CPJ, the meeting discussed the difficult situation with human rights and freedom of the press in Azerbaijan. It was noted that the country that will host the first European games, was included the 10 countries, where censorship is applied most of all and 10 bloggers and journalists are in prison.

Hickey was handed a letter calling to discuss these issues with the government of Azerbaijan, as well as to provide  conditions for the  journalist at the European game covering political, economic, social issues and human rights.

"These reports conform to the fundamental principles of the European Charter.

The letter also calls on to immediately release of imprisoned journalists, and to stop criminal prosecution of journalists' rights defender Emin Huseynov, the abolition of all laws restricting freedom of media and expression. All this must be done before June 12 - the opening ceremony of the European Games," said the program coordinator of CPJ's Nina Ogniyanova.

"Mr. Hickey, you have a unique opportunity to influence the government of Azerbaijan to improve the human rights situation,"   reads the  letter. -06D-