Baku Blocks Independent Media in the Country: Aliyev Feels Danger

• 05.24.2017, 18:51
•  Region,  World

liderxeber.az

After about one year of relative silence, the international community speaks out on human rights violations in Azerbaijan. An occasion to remember this topic has become the blocking of a number of independent media in Azerbaijan.

On May 12, an Azerbaijani court ruled in favor of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Technology to block a number of independent media outlets. Among the outlets targeted were "Turan" news channel, "Meydan TV", newspaper "Azadlig", "Liberty" radio station websites, as well as Internet resources, which were broadcasting TV program "The Azerbaijani Hour".  According to the Azerbaijani ministry, the sites allegedly were spreading materials calling for a forcibly change of the constitutional order in the country, and were calling for support to the religious groups.

It should be noted that these sites had been blocked before the court decision. According to the opposition, the government's move was driven by the dissemination of the information on April 8 opposition rally sanctioned by the Baku authorities.

This move of the Azerbaijani authorities has caused international outrage. France called on the Azerbaijani government to adhere to international obligations and respect to information and press freedom. "These freedoms are the basis of the strengthening of the civil society and democratic institutions. France is closely following the situation of media in Azerbaijan," French Foreign Ministry’s statement reads.

"Blocking of opposition websites shows that, all the statements on the freedom of the media in this country made by the Azerbaijani government and President Ilham Aliyev do not correspond to the reality," Freedom House’s statement says. The EU also referred to the restrictions on freedom of expression in Azerbaijan. In particular, the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini’s official representative Maya Kosyanchich said the court verdict is "incompatible with the modern democratic society’s requirements of free, independent and diverse media."

It should be noted, that Azerbaijan is not going to be limited by blocking independent news websites. Some officials offer to block Facebook and other social networks in the country, as they "contain a threat to Azerbaijani statehood." Such actions and statements of the Azerbaijani authorities show that there is growing wave of discontent in the country and it must be oppressed...