BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 5. Azerbaijan Press Council has made a statement on the pro-Armenian position of the French Charlie Hebdo magazine, Trend reports.
"Incitement of conflicts and strife between peoples and states by the media is unacceptable. This is the main criterion for a sensitive approach in the profession of a journalist, adherence to ethical principles. Sensitivity in such matters is also a public mission of exceptional importance in terms of preserving human values,” the statement said.
“Unfortunately, some media ignore the mentioned principles, distinguished by their inflammatory position, turning journalism into a political tool. One of them is the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine,” the statement noted. “The article, published in the first issue of the magazine in 2023, clearly shows the desire to increase tension in the South Caucasus region, and to form a negative international public opinion towards Azerbaijan and Türkiye.”
At the same time, according to the statement, the publication's approach is to nullify the activities carried out in the name of establishing peace in the region.
“The fact that the Charlie Hebdo magazine has relied on the positions of the pro-Armenian circles in France, expressing their desire to create a new militarist environment in the region, is also obvious from the style chosen by it," the statement said.
Along with the above, the statement regretted that in France, which positions itself as a country promoting the highest values, no proper public reaction has been shown to attempts of obvious abuse of freedom of speech and self-expression under the guise of satire, and legal measures haven’t been taken in this regard.
"The Azerbaijan Press Council strongly condemns the position of the Charlie Hebdo magazine and calls on the French authorities, society, as well as the progressive public of Europe in general, not to remain indifferent to the such activity of this magazine, which is morally and legally unacceptable, and also to consider the possibility of implementing measures against such tendencies in accordance with local and international laws," the statement concluded.