Jonathan Khenik: "Reporters are beaten, imprisoned and even killed in Azerbaijan, which is proven by Elmar Guseynov's death"

"Reporters are beaten, imprisoned and even killed in Azerbaijan, which is proven by Elmar Guseynov's death.

We hope that this death will become an exception and Elmar's murders will be found and brought to responsibility", Khenik added, speaking about the problems of local journalism.

He cited poor financial state of most reporters in Azerbaijan among other problems.

The diplomat said the inappropriate professional level of reporters and their failure to comply with the norms of ethics is another problem of journalism.

Speaking about the program of small grants in the journalistic sphere of the US Embassy to Azerbaijan, Khenik called the support and development of independent media, as well as raising professional level of Azerbaijani reporters one of its main tasks.

"The issuance of grants by the US Embassy through Elmar Guseynov's fund for support of journalism in Azerbaijan is an appropriate model for encouraging the development of journalist investigations, which are among the important components in the activity of any reporter", Khenik concluded.