Continued repression of independent media; editors on hunger strike

(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is expressing grave concern about the continued repressed state of the independent press in Azerbaijan. According to IPI’s information, as of 18 November 1998, twenty one editors of independent Azeri newspapers were on a hunger strike to protest what they say is a campaign of repression against them by the government. **For […]

(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is expressing grave concern about the continued repressed
state of the independent press in Azerbaijan. According to IPI’s
information, as of 18 November 1998, twenty one editors of independent Azeri
newspapers were on a hunger strike to protest what they say is a campaign of
repression against them by the government.

**For background to recent harassment of the Azeri independent media, see
IFEX alerts of 16 November, 9 November, 17 September and 16 September 1998**

The editors maintain that criminal cases which have been opened into the
alleged defamation of the President in the local press, as well as recent
calls for tighter media controls by parliament, are part of a renewed effort
to clamp down on the independent media. The state prosecutor’s office has in
recent months opened criminal cases under a statute prohibiting “defamation
of the honour and dignity of the president”. The editors also protested
against beatings of journalists by police during recent anti-government
demonstrations.

State Prosecutor Eldar Hasanov met the editors on 18 November in an effort
to convince them to call off the hunger strike, and offered to drop the
cases if the newspapers apologised for the articles and paid small fines,
instead of the 400 million manat
(US$ 100,000) fines that the President’s aides have insisted upon as
compensation for moral damage. The editors rejected the idea.

Recommended Action

H.E. Haydar Aliyev

President of Azerbaijan

Baku, Azerbaijan Republic

Fax: +994 12 92 06 25