MRI: situation with freedom of expression in Azerbaijan is worsening

The Media Rights Institute (MRI) disseminated the report on the situation inAzerbaijanwith the freedom of expression in the first half of 2012, which indicated the deterioration of the situation in that sphere. Among the evidence of negative trends, the report mentions growing number of imprisoned journalists, introduction of restrictive amendments to the legislation, increase of the facts of physical and psychological pressure on journalists.

At present, 12 journalists are sentenced to imprisonment or await their verdicts under custody. All of them were arrested from August 2011. This was stated by Rashid Gadjily, Director of the MRI.

The official charges filed against the journalists are not related to their professional activities. Most of the journalists are accused of illegal using or possessing drugs. Such charges were filed against five journalists.

The journalists also face charges of treason, extortion of bribe, hooliganism, disorderly conduct, excess of power. However, relatives and lawyers believe that the journalists were arrested in connection with their professional activities.

Apart from arrests, the practice of filing lawsuits against journalists and media continues. According to Khalid Agaliev, the MRI's project manager, in the first half of 2012, the courts accepted for consideration 17 lawsuits against the media on charges of defamation. The plaintiffs in those cases are officials and major businessmen are.

In total, during the reporting period, the media were obliged to pay compensations of 2.6 million manats (more than 3.2 million US dollars). The courts have imposed sanctions against the media in the amount of 91,000 manats (about 110,000 US dollars).

The practice of physical and psychological pressure on journalists continues. During the reporting period, 35 journalists fell victim to such attacks. According to the MRI's report, none of the facts of pressure on journalists has been investigated.

Measures have been taken to tighten the legislation: amendments have been adopted, relating to commercial confidentiality of information about founders of commercial legal entities, which hinders anti-corruption investigations, the MRI believes.

The government and the National TV and Radio Council (NTRC) made no steps, contributing to the development of the sector. On the contrary, the NTRC prohibited broadcasting of foreign serials on the local TV Channels.

The MRI recommends improving the legislation on freedom of assembly, cancelling recent legal amendments regarding issues of commercial confidentiality, and decriminalizing libel and defamation. The MRI also calls for fair trials for the arrested journalists and reconsideration of cases of already convicted media representatives.

Emin Guseinov, the head of the other journalists' organization, the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), expressed his solidarity with the estimates of the report. He believes that in the modern era of information technologies and social networking on the Internet, all attempts to limit freedom of expression and to protect themselves from criticism are doomed to failure.

According to Ali Gasanov, the head of the social and political department of the administration of the Azerbaijani President, the country has created all conditions for free functioning of media.