Journalist Idrak Abbasov wins the prestigious international award

Baku/28.10.13/Turan : The independent Azerbaijani journalist Idrak Abbasov won the prestigious " 2013 Tully Award for Free Speech." Last week, he was awarded  at the ceremony in the city of Syracuse, New York.

This prestigious award  is given annually during the selection of journalists who faced threats because of their work . Abbason  was announced the winner among the 12 finalists. Abbasov also spoke to the students of journalism, diplomacy, and told about the realities of Azerbaijan with freedom of expression.

"The United States are not well informed about Azerbaijan. In this sense, the American students  know very little about Azerbaijan. I informed the audience in detail about Azerbaijan – the  Karabakh problem, that it is an oil country , where there are serious problems with freedom of expression ,  about keeping 10 journalists in prison , physical attacks and blackmail journalists , harassment of youth activists.

At the same time, I told that  the ambassadors  of the USA to Azerbaijan were such people as Stanley Escudero, Matthew Bryza , and who established with  the local authorities business contacts," said Abbasov.

Previously , he was awarded the  prize "Freedom of Expression 2012" by  international organization "Index on Censorship." Abbasov repeatedly  was subjected to physical and moral pressure  because of his professional activities.

In April 2012, he was brutally beaten up by the  Security  employees of SOCAR, when preparing a report on the demolition of people's houses  in the area Sulu-Tepe. -06B –