ELCHIN SHIKHLINSKI: "SITUATION IN FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN AZERBAIJAN LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED"

Today.Az
23 October 2008 [11:18]

The report of the organization "Reporters without borders" regarding
freedom of speech in the world, proves that the situation with freedom
of speech in our country is far from normal, said Elchin Shikhlinski,
chairman of the Reporters Union of Azerbaijan and editor-in-chief of
the Zerkalo newspaper.

He said Azerbaijan’s lagging behind Armenia and Georgia is explained
by existence of three imprisoned journalists in our country, while
there are no imprisoned reporters either in Georgia or Armenia.

"Naturally, this fact can hardly be presented as a positive step,
proving freedom of speech in the country.

Georgia and Armenia applied censorship but soon lifted it", said
Shikhlinski

As for presidential elections in Azerbaijan, he said "Reporters
without borders" held a monitoring of local press, though only in
state-financed newspapers. In the result, a conclusion was made that
the said mass medias lack pluralism of opinions.

"I do not exclude that their report was made by results of this
very monitoring".

According to Shikhlinski, any organization, covering a definite area
of life, can assess the situation in this very area. The point is how
the assessment of any international organization will be perceived
by the society of the country analyzed.

"In this connection, I would say that I do not know how important the
situation under which Azerbaijan is ranked 150th in the report of the
"Reporters without borders" is for the Azerbaijani society.

As for problems in the sphere of freedom of speech in Azerbaijan,
he said a problem of pluralism of opinions in mass medias can be
spoken of in Azerbaijan.

"Any local edition has a right to express any thoughts, but one can
hardly come across an opposite opinion on the same TV channel or in
the same newspaper.

Moreover, as is known, the total number of officially registered
newspapers in Azerbaijan has topped 3,500. Unfortunately, there are
few serious editions in our country, which meet all principles of
journalism and demonstrate loyalty to pluralism of opinions.

In other words, Azerbaijan has very influential, independent, free
newspapers, wonderful analysts and journalists, expressing their
opinion freely, but on the whole, the situation in freedom of speech
in Azerbaijan leaves much to be desired.