Robert MГ©nard, the Secreatry-General of Reporters Without Borders addresses letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev a letter to President Aliev on the eve of legislative elections asking him to guarantee guarantee the safety of the local and foreign journalists who will be covering the 6 November legislative elections, Trend reports.
“Reporters Without Borders is extremely concerned about the situation of press freedom in Azerbaijan two days before legislative elections that will be a crucial step for your country’s future,” Ménard notes in his letter.
The Secretary General regretted that all of the international TV stations that have come to Azerbaijan to cover the elections have been banned from broadcasting live footage. The satellite dishes of the Russian television stations NTV and RTR have been seized. The Turkish news agency Ihlas, which came to cover the run-up to the elections, was asked by the Azeri authorities to leave the country three weeks ago.
“We therefore ask you to take the necessary measures to establish a favourable climate for a free and transparent election and to guarantee the safety of all the journalists who are covering this crucial moment for your country’s future. We believe it is essential that the international community should have full access to news and information,” the letter underlines.