OSCE voices concern over course of investigation of murdered Azerbaijani journalist

BAKU, 2 March 2006 - The Head of the OSCE Office in Baku, Ambassador Maurizio Pavesi, today called on the Azerbaijani authorities to take all necessary steps in order to bring those responsible for the murder of journalist Elmar Huseynov to justice as soon as possible.

"Unfortunately, one year after the assassination of the founder and editor-in-chief of the independent weekly Monitor, the case remains unresolved," said Ambassador Pavesi. "We firmly believe that until the real motives of the perpetrators are identified and proven in court, public opinion cannot consider the case closed."

Elmar Huseynov, 38, was shot and killed outside his apartment on 2 March 2005. The Monitor magazine was under constant pressure for the critical nature of some of its articles. It also had difficulties with printing and distribution, and was facing several defamation law suits.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, who personally knew Huseynov, added: "Elmar Huseynov's death was a great loss to the journalistic community of Azerbaijan. He was in the frontline of fighters for strong independent media, a true hero of the free press."