Azerbaijan, Baku, 20 June / Trend corr. E.Babayev / The Azerbaijani Government considers that the imprisonment of three journalists negatively affects the international image of the country. "All international organizations regard this fact as a problem in the freedom of speech and freedom of press in Azerbaijan," Ali Hasanov, Head of the Public Policy Department of the Azerbaijani President's Office, said.
The three detained journalists held in Azerbaijan are Ganimat Zahid, chief editor of Azadlig newspaper, Mirza Sakit, a journalist of Azadlig newspaper, and Eynulla Fatullayev, chief editor of Gundalik Azerbaijan and Realni Azerbaijan newspapers.
"The popularity of the arrested journalists cannot free them from answerability. Every journalist and media outlet must work in accordance with terms of state based on the rule of law and market economy and improve their professional skills. The arrest of journalists has neither positive nor negative influence on the development of media in Azerbaijan," Hasanov said.
It is necessary to do a lot to refrain from repetition of similar developments in Azerbaijan, Hasanov said, wishing the soonest release of journalists.