22:07, 5 January 2007

"Reporters without Borders" call Azerbaijani president to put an end to pressure on journalists

The international organization for defence of the press "Reporters without Borders" has come out with condemnation of the recent attack in Azerbaijan on Nidzhat Guseinov, correspondent of the "Azadlyg" newspaper, committed on December 25 in broad daylight in the street. The statement of the Organization notes that the employee of one of the leading opposition newspapers - "Azadlyg" - was assaulted by four unknown persons on his way to the work. Before, he had got anonymous calls with threats and requests not to write "bad articles."

The statement further runs: "In Azerbaijan, relations of journalists with "heroes" of their materials often result in violence. In 2006, murder attempts were committed on two other journalists - Bakhaddin Khasiev and Fikret Guseinli. While Elmar Guseinov, editor of the "Monitor" magazine, was shot dead on the threshold of his own house in 2005."

In its annual report, the "Reporters without Borders" has recognized Azerbaijan to be a dangerous zone for journalists.