22:53, 4 November 2006

Rashid Gadzhily: situation with mass media in Azerbaijan is close to dangerous threshold

Recently, mass media of Azerbaijan have confronted the pressure of the authorities, unprecedented by force and scale. Jurisprudent Rashid Gadzhily, Director of the Media Rights Institute, thinks that the situation with printed and electronic mass media "is approaching a dangerous threshold."

"The basic reason is probably that on the eve of 2008 presidential elections, the authorities are trying this way to shut up the unwanted media. However, there may also be other reasons; for example, Azerbaijan faces problems related to journalistic professionalism. The newspapers that are dependent on political capitals (both oppositional and pro-governmental outlets) are permanently sacrificing their principles for the sake of financial interests," Mr. Gadzhily told the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot."

In his opinion, "international organizations will not keep their eyes shut at suffocation of the freedom of speech in Azerbaijan." "Keeping the situation with mass media as it is may damage our country's image," Mr. Gadzhily said.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent