IPI Public Statements

Editors go on hunger strike to protest continued threats to independent media

19 November 1998

H.E. Haydar Aliyev
President of Azerbaijan
Baku
Azerbaijan Republic

Vienna, 19 November 1998

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and media executives, is most concerned about the continued repressed state of the independent press in Azerbaijan.

We are informed that, as of 18 November 1998, 21 editors of the independent Azeri newspapers were on a hunger strike to protest what they say is a campaign of repression against them by your government.

The editors maintain that criminal cases which have been opened into the alleged defamation of the President in the local press, as well as recent calls for tighter media controls by the parliament, are part of a renewed effort to clamp down on the independent media. The state prosecutor's office has in recent months opened criminal cases under a statute prohibiting "defamation of the honour and dignity of the president." The editors also protested against beatings of journalists by police during recent anti-government demonstrations.

We understand that State Prosecutor Eldar Hasanov met the editors on Wednesday in an effort to convince them to call off their hunger strike, and offered to drop the cases if the newspapers apologised for the articles and paid small fines, instead of the 400 million manta (US$ 100,000) fines that the aides have insisted upon as compensation for moral damage. The editors rejected the idea.

Although IPI was encouraged by the fact that you signed a decree in August officially abolishing censorship in advance of the October presidential elections, it is evident that the state is continuing its attempts to muzzle the critical voice of the independent press. We therefore urge you to immediately take the necessary steps to ensure that journalists are permitted to freely practice their profession without fear of censorship or harassment. In particular, we urge the repeal of all laws that make libel, slander or defamation of government officials a criminal offence. Such restrictive legislation is unjustifiable in a democratic society and a grave violation of internationally accepted principles.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director

Read Country Reports on 'Azerbaijan':

2007 World Press Freedom Review
2006 World Press Freedom Review
2005 World Press Freedom Review
2004 World Press Freedom Review
2003 World Press Freedom Review
2002 World Press Freedom Review
2001 World Press Freedom Review
2000 World Press Freedom Review
1999 World Press Freedom Review
1998 World Press Freedom Review

Journalists killed in 'Azerbaijan':

2005 (1)
1999 (1)

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