Azerbaijan, Baku, 7 May / Trend corr E. Babayev/ Official Baku believes that the criticism from international organizations against freedom of speech problems in Azerbaijan is a result of external forces influence.
"The statements by international organizations in this connection are not based on facts," Ramiz Mehdiyev, Head-of-Staff of Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, said in Baku on 7 May.
On 3rd May, the international day of freedom of press, international European organizations, as well as US President George Bush, criticised Azerbaijan.
There are three imprisoned journalists in Azerbaijan.
" Azerbaijan is not backward from European countries in the field of freedom of press," Mehdiyev said. According to the Head-of-Staff, OSCE representative from UK Nick Haukock during his visit to Azerbaijan said that according to the changes made by the UK Parliament in its legislation, now people could be held in prison for 90 days without explanation of reasons of detainment. "It is surprising that UK being a member of countless international organizations keeps people in prisons without explanation of the reasons," Mehdiyev said.
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