Press releases & protests

For Immediate Release                                                                                             Contact: Mark Bench, 703.715.9811
                                                                                                                                                  embench@wpfc.org

WPFC Makes Fund Against Censorship Grant to Azerbaijan Journalists
Imprisoned for Alleged Criminal Defamation

Reston, USA, July 24, 2007 — The World Press Freedom Committee (www.wpfc.org) —an organization representing 45 press freedom groups from throughout the world— made a Fund Against Censorship grant to fund the legal defense of Azerbaijan journalists Rovshen Kebirli, editor of Mukhalifet, an opposition newspaper, and Yashar Agazade, a reporter of this publication.

On May 16 of this year, Kebirli and Agazade were sentenced to two and a half years in prison as a result of the criminal defamation proceedings against them stemming from the publication of an article very critical of Parliament member Jalal Aliyev, a close relative of President Ilham Aliyev.

The article, published on Feb. 27, accuses Jalal Aliyev of corruption and mismanagement of agriculture fields. He reacted by pressing criminal defamation charges against the two journalists for “insulting his dignity.”

The local Caucasus Media Investigations Center condemned the sentences calling them “politically motivated,” an attack on freedom of expression, and a violation of the country’s Constitution and of international treaties of which Azerbaijan is a signatory.

Kebirli and Agazade have joined seven other journalists in prison, making Azerbaijan one of the least press-freedom friendly countries in the world. The names of theses professionals are Rovshan Kebirli, Yashar Agazade, Eynula Fetullayev, Mirze Sakit (Zahidov), Samir Sedaqetoglu, Rafiq Tagı and Feremez Allahverdiyev.

WPFC intervened on behalf of both of them by sending a protest letter to President Aliyev on May 22 urging him to use his influence in order to gain the release of not only Kebirli and Agazade but also all imprisoned journalists in Azerbaijan.

“The incarcerations of Messrs. Kebirli and Agazade and the rest of their colleagues constitute a frontal attack on the very press freedom principles whose respect is essential for the functioning of a democratic society,” said WPFC Executive Director Mark Bench. “We hope this Fund Against Censorship grant will help these journalists put up a strong legal defense that can return them to freedom.”

One day after the letter was published by the national media, Kebirli and Agazade started a hunger strike that is ongoing and has taken a heavy toll on both men’s health.

This is not the first time Jalal Aliyev has taken exception to corruption reports by Kebirli’s publication. In 2003, an Mukhalifet article revealed him as the head of a “grain mafia” and accused him of using his privileged position —at that time his brother Heyday Aliyev, the father of the current president, was the head of the Azeri state— to enrich himself. Jalal Aliyev hit back with a defamation suit that cost Kebirli a five-month prison sentence, which was eventually nullified by a Parliamentary amnesty.

WPFC intends that this financial and moral support will accomplish the following goals:

  1. Enable Rovshen Kebirli and Yashar Agazade to put up a decent defense in court while they are risking their life by staging a hunger strike in prison.
  2. Attract both national and international attention to an outrageous attempt to silence an independent publication in a country dominated by official media.
  3. Attract attention to a blatant case of abusing the powers of the State, specifically the invoking of regressive criminal defamation laws that stifle transparency and foster corruption.
  4. Attract international attention to the many difficulties the Azeri independent media face because of this and many other instances of official harassment and intimidation.
  5. Send a clear signal to the government of Azerbaijan that their attempts to silence responsible journalists will have international repercussions.
  6. Gain the release of Kebirli, Agazade and hopefully of their seven fellow journalists.

The Fund Against Censorship provides financial assistance for legal costs to journalists who are the target of judicial harassment and other forms of intimidation. The grant is made by WPFC on behalf of the global Coordinating Committee of Press Freedom Organizations, which includes, in addition to WPFC: the International Press Institute (Vienna, Austria); Inter American Press Association (Miami, USA); International Association of Broadcasting (Montevideo, Uruguay); World Association of Newspapers (Paris, France); Commonwealth Press Union (London, England); North American Broadcasters Association (Los Angeles, USA); International Federation of the Periodical Press (London, England); and the Committee to Protect Journalists (New York, USA).

Since 1977 the World Press Freedom Committee, an international coalition representing 45 press freedom groups throughout the world, has made numerous grants in its cooperative program to help news media and journalists of the developing world and more recently, Asia and Central and Eastern Europe. Each request is well screened, and the success of the program depends upon generous donations from foundations, businesses and individuals.

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