OSCE Office in Baku welcomes Azerbaijani president's pardon of two newspaper editors

BAKU, 23 October 2006 - The Head of the OSCE Office in Baku today welcomed the Azerbaijani president's pardon of two newspaper editors imprisoned this year for libel.

A presidential decree issued yesterday pardoned Shahin Agabayli, editor-in-chef of the Milli Yol daily, and Samir Adigozalov, editor of the Boyuk Millat newspaper. Both were serving one-year sentences. Agabayli had about 10 months remaining of his sentence; Adigozalov about four months.

"The decision by President Ilham Aliyev to pardon journalists is a demonstration of a political goodwill to improve relations between the authorities and the press," said Ambassador Maurizio Pavesi, Head of the OSCE Office. "We hope in the future to witness a more responsible and professional journalism balanced by higher tolerance toward criticism on the part of public officials."

The OSCE Media Freedom Representative, Miklos Haraszti, requested that journalists convicted of libel be pardoned in a meeting with President Aliyev earlier this month in Baku. He also urged Azerbaijani authorities to decriminalize defamation.

The decree pardons 99 convicts. It also reduces by half the unserved terms handed to three convicts, and the life sentences of two others are commuted to 25 years of imprisonment.

Several journalists remain under suspended sentences after being found guilty of libel against public figures.

The OSCE Office in Baku remains ready support the government to preserve, consolidate and reinforce the freedom of the press.