Europe & Central Asia

  

Cut It Out: Notes from An Azerbaijani Censor

A 1993 censor’s log book, revealing the interplay between censors and the cuts they made, has been circulating among Baku editors. Some extracts from the purloined document: ³24/VIII/93 ³An article cut from Azadliq. It said that S. Husseinov demanded the resignation of President Aliyev at his press conference at Ganja. If you see such information…

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Censorship While You Wait: An Azerbaijani Newspaper Struggles to Stay Alive

At 25, Gunduz M. Tairli is a chain – smoking, ink – stained journalist. His face is angular; his expression intense. He is also chief editor of Azadliq, one of Baku’s most popular newspapers, and the organ of the opposition Popular Front party. Putting out Azadliq is a daily struggle for Tairli, who labors 12…

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Azerbaijan’s Media Navigate a Legal Maze

Editors of Baku’s leading newspapers were thrown into turmoil in early November 1996. The Milli Medjlis had just amended the law on mass media to require licensing in addition to registration with the Ministry of Justice before newspapers could begin, or continue, operating. Fourteen chief editors of newspapers and news agencies gathered in December to…

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Armenia’s New Journalists

The collapse of Soviet-style journalism has brought a new type of writer to the fore-youthful, enthusiastic, but often without training or experience. A problem in Armenian journalism is the need to replace Soviet-era training with new methods. Ruben A. Satyan says he assigns new recruits at Vremya to senior editors for on-the-job training. Astghik Gevorkian,…

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Oil Flows More Freely than Ideas in Azerbaijan

The smell of oil, profits, and risk hang heavily over Baku. To the Western visitor, this port city looks like a boom town. Azerbaijan has discovered new oil reserves in the Caspian Sea which may be nearly as great as those of Kuwait. And outsiders are rushing to town to pump oil and get rich…

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Appendix I: Attacks on the Press in Azerbaijan, 1996-97

Ayna-Zerkalo, newspaper, censored Government censors removed and cut articles from the independent newspaper Ayna-Zerkalo on several occasions in 1996 and 1997. For example:

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Appendix II: Attacks on the Press in Armenia, 1996-97

Lragir, newspaper, legal action, March 1, 1996 A Yerevan court suspended the publication of the independent daily Lragir for three months.

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Censorship Plagues Press in Armenia, Azerbaijan, CPJ Reports

Washington, D.C., Jan. 15, 1998-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is calling on the governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia today to respect the right to a free press accorded citizens in democracies and to provide guarantees enabling journalists there to work freely and safely, without fear of reprisal.

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Paradoxes in the Caucasus: A Report on Freedom of the Media in Azerbaijan and Armenia

Table of Contents Press Release: Censorship Plagues Press in Armenia and Azerbaijan, CPJ Reports Introduction Azerbaijan Azerbaijan’s Media Navigate a Legal Maze Oil Flows More Freely Than Ideas in Azerbaijan Censorship While You Wait: An Azerbaijani Newspaper Struggles to Stay Alive Cut It Out: Notes from an Azerbaijani Censor The Many Targets of Azerbaijani Censorship….

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Key Media Officials in Azerbaijan

Minister of Press and Information: Siruz Khudat ogli Tabrizli, born 1942 in Tabriz, Iran. A writer, poet, former journalist. Holds democratic views but is a strong supporter of President Heidar Aliyev. Member of parliament and a leader of Aliyev’s New Azerbaijan party. Serves as minister under the “List of 18” exception which allows 15 percent…

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