OSCE welcomes pardoning of reporters in Azerbaijan

Rovshan Kabirli and Yashar Aghazade, editor-in-chief and editor from the Mukhalifat newspaper; Faramaz Novruzoglu, correspondent from the Nota Bene newspaper; and Samir Sadagatoglu and Rafig Tagi, editor-in-chief and correspondent of the Senet newspaper, were released from prison following a Presidential decree issued on 28 December 2007.

"I am glad to hear that some of the reporters are free, but we should not forget that three are still in jail," Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media said regarding Eynulla Fatullayev, the editor-in-chief of Realniy Azerbaijan and Gundelik Azerbaycan, and the brothers Genimet and Sakit Zahidov from the Azadliq newspaper, who are still in prison.

Ambassador Jose Luis Herrero, Head of the OSCE Office in Baku, said: "I hope that the pardoning of these reporters will help the very needed normalization of the situation of the media in Azerbaijan. Efforts to consolidate democratic mechanisms of interaction between the media, the Government and society at large should continue in a spirit of cooperation among all the actors involved."

"The OSCE is still ready to support the Government of Azerbaijan, media professionals and civil society to preserve, consolidate and reinforce the freedom of the press," Ambassador Herrero concluded.

/APA/