RWB condemns violence against journalists in Azerbaijan

The international organization "Reporters Without Borders" (RWB) engaged in protection of journalists condemned pressure on media correspondents in Azerbaijan during the parliamentary elections held on February 9 and called on the authorities to investigate all cases of attacks on journalists.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan announced the victory of the ruling "New Azerbaijan Party" at the parliamentary elections held on February 9. NGOs claimed various violations registered during the voting. On February 13, the CEC cancelled election results in four constituencies.

The RWB reported at least 18 facts when journalists encountered obstacles in their activities and were subjected to violence during and after the election in Baku. "When a sit-in by opposition candidates outside the CEC in Baku was violently dispersed by special forces on February 11, seven journalists were detained and beaten," the RWB reports on its website.

Mustafa Gadjibeili, an editor of the website "Basta.info", wrote on Facebook that he had been beaten by law enforcers. Apart from him, six female journalists were beaten during the dispersal of the sit-in action.

"The Azerbaijani authorities continue to suppress all forms of pluralism, both political and journalistic, in violation of their international obligations and their promises to guarantee media freedom and security," said Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RWB's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.

Emin Guseinov, the executive director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Security (IRFS), believes that the problem of media freedom in Azerbaijan is "of a systemic nature."