Media Development Agency dismisses RSF report as biased

By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijan’s Media Development Agency has dismissed as biased a report by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on the murder of two Azerbaijani journalists, the agency has reported on its website.

In a protest letter sent to RSF over the information about the murder of two Azerbaijani journalists that was published on the organization’s official website, the agency stressed that the RSF report had not disclosed the cause and true nature of the incident and paved the way for biased outcomes.

It was noted that the information has been distorted and used against Azerbaijan in a biased manner.

"We appeal to you once again to state that two journalists were killed in a war crime committed by Armenia seven months after the end of the war and lost their lives in the blast of a landmine planted by the Armenian military, and we urge you to take this fact into account," the letter read.

The agency described the attempts to blame Azerbaijan for the deaths of the journalists (who were covering the current situation in Azerbaijan’s territories liberated from Armenia’s 30-year occupation) as “unacceptable” and “efforts for creating unfounded approaches”.

It was reminded that on June 4, both journalists - Azertag correspondent Maharram Ibrahimov and AZTV cameraman Siraj Abishov were killed in a mine blast while performing their duties in Kalbajar’s Susuzlug village liberated during the 44-day war with Armenia.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev posthumously awarded both journalists with the Service to the Motherland 3rd degree order as a sign of deep respect and gratitude to their memory, the agency noted.

It was underlined that on June 9, the agency sent a statement to RSF providing detailed information about the incident and calling on international civil society organizations to cover the incident accurately and impartially.

It also stressed the importance of relying on multiple sources, including the Media Development Agency, in the preparation of news and reports by RSF for increasing their accuracy, objectivity and reliability and for resolving disputes.