President Aliyev: "Azerbaijan ignores critics of press freedom record"

"These kinds of rating, I'll tell you frankly, do not play any significant role in our day-to-day life or in the political process in Azerbaijan and I as a president don't pay any attention to that," Aliyev told a group of reporters from Western media organisations, including ?F?.

In its "Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2006" media watchdog Reporters Without Borders recently ranked Azerbaijan 135th out of 168 in a list of countries rated for their performance in protecting the media.

"I personally treat these kinds of ratings with a high degree of skepticism," Aliyev said, adding that "there is no censorship" in Azerbaijan.

Scores of journalists have been beaten by police and imprisoned since Aliyev came to power in 2003, replacing his father as president of this former Soviet republic. Two journalists have been killed in that period.

"The possible involvement of the political authorities in this murder should be examined with greater attention," RSF said recently in relation to 2005 slaying of Elmar Huseynov, editor of the daily newspaper Monitor.

Meanwhile a number of critical reporters have gone to prison in libel suits filed by high ranking government officials.

However, Aliyev insisted "you can open any newspaper in Azerbaijan and see unpleasant articles about government."

Aliyev criticized journalists for taking advantage of an appeal he made to government officials ahead of parliamentary elections last year, asking officials not to sue journalists.

"The appeal did not work and one part of the journalists, a very minor part, decided now they can do whatever they want," Aliyev said.

The Azerbaijani leader said the subsequent court cases should not be viewed as an "attempt to pressure the free press and to shut it down."

"People started to defend themselves in court as any other democratic country or politician would do," he said. AFP

/BakuTODAY/