20 June 2008 [13:37] - Today.Az

“In line with the recent amendments and alterations to the draft law “On Freedom of Assembly” and the overall pre-election situation, it is difficult to specify the date when the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan will initiate the mass protest actions”, said party chairman Sardar Jalaloghlu. He said the new law has restricted opportunities to hold mass actions and enabled to search for other methods of protest. “At the same time, the situation does not imply that the party will not hold meetings and protests at all. The Democratic Party of Azerbaijan will initiate rallies after law “On freedom of Assembly” is adopted. Perhaps, the party will unite with other parties, nominating their candidacies for elections to arrange a single meeting. Yet, it will be possible to speak about its forms only after the draft law “On Freedom of Assembly” is ratified”, said he. /Day.Az/

20 June 2008 [12:38] - Today.Az

“There are arrested journalists in Azerbaijan. I consider they will be released soon”, said Aflatun Amashov, Chairman of the Press Council in his report to the V Congress of Azerbaijani journalists, APA reports.

Amashov addressed President Ilham Aliyev for releasing of arrested journalists. “I ask the President to assist us in releasing the journalists. Their release will have a positive effect on Azerbaijan’s image”. /APA/

20 June 2008 [11:54] - Today.Az

“Journalists have to be able to work under the conditions of market economy and to improve their professional skills gradually”, Chief of Socio-Political Department of the Presidential Executive Office Ali Hasanov told journalists, APA reports. Expressing opinion on the arrest of journalists, Hasanov said this fact had neither positive nor negative impact on the Azerbaijani media. “Unfortunately arrest of the three journalists affects Azerbaijan’s image on the international arena. International organizations introduce this fact as a problem of freedom of speech and media in Azerbaijan. We hope such cases will not recur further. We have to wish open doors to the arrested people”. /APA/

19 June 2008 [15:18] - Today.Az

The Azerbaijan State Frontier Service again prohibited Azadlyg newspaper correspondent Agil Halil to leave the country this morning.

The due information  was provided to Turan by Halil personally, Day.Az reports with reference to Azadlyg radio. Halil said he was invited to France and he was to leave the Baku airport at 16:00. “During the frontier control I was told that I have no right to leave Azerbaijan”, noted Halil. He said he was told that investigation, related to him, is underway and he has no right to leave the country. “This is nonsense and violation of my rights. I am not a defendant, I am a victim”, resumed the correspondent. It should be noted that Halil previously attempted to leave for Turkey and Georgia but was prohibited to do it. /Day.Az/

URL: http://www.today.az/news/society/45804.html

-Now, let’s speak about the problems of elder persons. How can you respond to the announcements of the opposition about violation of the rights of freedom of assembly, especially in the election period?

-I do not think that conditions for conduction of meetings, state of freedom of speech and other liberties are on the level, the opposition speaks about. We have no problems here and all conditions have been created for citizens to conduct meetings. Yet, democracy has definite limits everywhere. Democracy does not imply that a person may conduct meetings wherever and however he wants. All these issues are regulated by the due legislation and it should be observed. If the action complies with the law, it will not be prohibited.

/Day.Az/

URL: http://www.today.az/news/society/44745.html

Musavat, one of the leading opposition parties of Azerbaijan, intends to hold unsanctioned rallies.

The due announcement was made by head of the party Executive Board Arif Hajili at the Medjlis session.

According to him, the Musavat party does not intend to agree with the bans of the Baku city administration.

“Experience of previous elections shows that without holding unsanctioned rallies it is impossible to attain better conditions for mass actions. Therefore, we intend to hold unsanctioned actions”, said Hajili.

He was supported unanimously by the party Medjlis members.

/Day.Az/

US Embassy to Azerbaijan disagrees with statement of Ramiz Mehtiyev, Head of Azerbaijan’s Presidential Executive Office.

Jonathan Henick, chief of PR Department of the US Embassy in Azerbaijan, stated to the reporter of “Kavkazskiy uzel”, that mentioning by President Bush of Azerbaijan among countries with the highest numbers of convicted journalists is based on concrete facts and is true.

“These figures refer to 2007. By the end of that year some of journalists were released and situation now is relatively different. That’s why the assessment of the US President for year 2007 is correct”, stressed Henick.

The speech of US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse, made during her visit to the north-western region of Azerbaijan:

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for inviting me. It is an honor to celebrate World Press Freedom Day in the Center that is named after the National Hero of Azerbaijan, courageous journalist Chingiz Mustafayev, who fell while performing his duties as a journalist in 1991.

“Our liberty depends on freedom of the press and that cannot be limited without being lost.” So spoke Thomas Jefferson over 200 years ago. Without a free press, citizens have no access to independent information about their government and its policies and performance. Without a free press, citizens do not have the information they need to hold government accountable, and consequently, the risk of corruption, malfeasance and mismanagement is great, especially in an oil rich state. Without a free press, there can be no public exchange of ideas about national challenges and priorities Without a free press, there is no real freedom.

That is why it is important that governments that respect freedom vigorously uphold the right of journalists to work freely, without fear of violence and persecution, and why it is important that media adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards in carrying out their important responsibility to inform the public. Criticism of the government and government leaders is not treason, it is a hallmark of true democracy. The US believes that libel and defamation should not be criminal offences, journalists should not be imprisoned for expressing their views, incidents of violence or harassment against journalists to intimidate them into silence should be vigorously investigated and prosecuted and governments in developing democracies should work with civil society to develop a free, independent and objective media to defend the people’s rights.

Speaking as the representative of a government which supports Azerbaijan’s independence and sovereignty, which has great respect for the people of Azerbaijan and for Azerbaijan’s history, culture and accomplishments, and for Azerbaijan’s great potential as a leader in the region, I must say that the recent physical attacks and the ongoing smear campaign against Azadliq journalist Agil Halil and continuing pressure and threats against pro-opposition and independent journalists show that development of the independent media as a strong institution to support Azerbaijan’s democratic development is under attack. Current attitudes towards the media are more reminiscent of Azerbaijan’s Soviet past than its democratic future. Many Azerbaijanis and international observers who support Azerbaijan’s goals of maintaining independence and promoting freedom, in the face of strong regional pressures, share this view.

Throughout his short but meaningful life, Chingiz Mustafayev fought for his people’s right to know. He traveled to the zones, swept by war to report on tragic consequences of war and its innocent victims. Scenes from Khojali, taped by Chingiz Mustafayev shook the world and still continue to touch all peace-loving peoples. These works demonstrate Chingiz’s courage and commitment to his motherland, his profession, and the principle of media freedom. The best way to honor his memory - and those of other pioneering Azerbaijani journalists - is for us to support all journalists seeking to exercise that fundamental democratic right in support of Azerbaijan’s democratic future, and freedom for all Azerbaijanis.

Independent journalism serves the public by addressing and stimulating a debate on issues of national concern. Just as Chingiz did, journalists today have a responsibility to report on key issues of national import, including Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s democratic reforms, the use of its energy revenues, and corruption. I am doubly happy to see the young generation of Azerbaijani journalists guided by the courageous work of those, like Chingiz Mustafayev, who made today’s journalism in Azerbaijan possible.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in renewing our commitment to media freedom and wishing success to all the journalists in Azerbaijan and everywhere else in the world.

Thank you.

Condoleezza Rice’s statement addressed to Azerbaijan is extremely unfounded.

According to it, the socio-political situation and other matters are alright in Armenia and Georgia, and Azerbaijan is the only backward state of the region,” said Ramiz Mehtiyev, Head of Azerbaijan’s Presidential Executive Office. He dismissed Rice’s remarks as illogical. “It can be deduced from Rice’s statement that March events in Armenia should be repeated in Azerbaijan so that she say good things about us. I view her words as an unfounded statement,” he added. /APA/