Journalists state restrictions on media freedom in Azerbaijan

There are serious problems with the media freedom in Azerbaijan, where websites are blocked, journalists are persecuted, and media have no financial independence, the participants of the conference dedicated to the Day of National Press shave stated.

Elchin Shikhlinsky, the head of the Azerbaijani Union of Journalists, named among the positive trends of recent years the release from prison of Mekhman Aliev, the director of the "Turan" News Agency, the journalist, Rauf Mirkadyrov, and blogger, Mekhman Guseinov.

Mekhman Aliev, the director of "Turan" News Agency, has noted that the deprivation of the media of the base for independent activities continues. In his opinion, the situation is getting worse every year.

Khalid Agaliev, an expert in media law, said that over the past year, there were defamation lawsuits against 29 journalists.

Alesker Mamedli, a media expert, has stated that traditional media are rapidly replaced by online ones. He mentioned attempts to block websites.

Nasimi Mamedli, a political analyst, pointed out that the authorities' attempts to control media led to devaluation of them as reliable sources of information.

In the opinion of Arif Aliev, the head of the journalistic association named "New Generation", the Azerbaijani media space looks like "a forest after a fire."