On World Press Freedom Day, IRFS calls for release of all critics and ensuring freedom of expression

Baku/03.05.23/Turan: The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety condemns the Azerbaijani government for its increasing pressure on press freedom and calls for a safe environment for freedom of expression in the country.

Today, on International Press Freedom Day (3 May 2023), the IRFS calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release all those arrested on trumped-up and politically motivated charges -- journalists and bloggers Elchin Mammad, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, Abid Gafarov, Avaz Zeynalli, Elnur Shukurov, Rashad Ramazanov, Polad Aslanov, Aslan Gurbanov, Osman Rzayev, Elvin Isayev, Magsud Mahmudov, and opposition figure Ali Aliyev (arrested on defamatory charges).

The IRFS also calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to stop persecuting their critics abroad and abandon the practice of contract attacks and attempts to kill bloggers, as was the case, for example, in the case of Mahammad Mirzali, against whom three assassination attempts had been made in France.

The IRFS also calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to liberalize legislation in the sphere of press freedom regulation and freedom of access to information and impose a moratorium on the new repressive media law. "Azerbaijani authorities need to adopt a new law on the media, giving priority to strengthening pluralism and ensuring the safety of journalists and not restricting their activities,” said Emin Huseynov, Executive Director of the IRFS.

Given the circumstances of the February 2022 murder of journalist Avaz Shikhmammadov (Avaz Hafizli), the IRFS notes the continuing high level of impunity for crimes against journalists and calls on the authorities to reinvestigate the murders of journalists Avaz Shikhmammadov, Rasim Aliyev, Rafiq Tagi, Novruzali Mammadov, Alim Kazimli, and Elmar Huseynov.

The IRFS also regrets that the authorities continuously refuse to effectively investigate numerous crimes against journalists related to illegal wiretapping and surveillance, particularly in the context of using the PEGASUS spyware, whose victims were more than 100 journalists and human rights activists.

The IRFS strongly condemns hate speech against dissenting critics periodically voiced by government officials. In particular, the IRFS is deeply concerned about the recent public attacks against its co-founder, well-known investigative journalist Mehman Huseynov, who became the target of attacks by senior representatives of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party during the plenary session of the Azerbaijani Parliament on 25 April of this year.

Considering the repressive environment in relation to the freedom of the press in Azerbaijan, where independent media disseminating publicly significant information cannot ensure their economic security and sustainability, which is unacceptable for a member-state of the Council of Europe, the IRFS calls on international partners and donors, in particular the European Union and the Council of Europe, to strengthen institutional support for independent Azerbaijani media, journalists and journalistic organizations, without which many will not be able to continue their existence.-0-