BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 13. A campaign against Azerbaijani journalists in the French media is unacceptable, the Azerbaijan Press Council said, Trend reports.
The council noted that such a campaign the slanderous campaign against employees of the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC) in the French media is offensive behavior contradicting all ethical norms and values.
This unacceptable approach is nothing but an act of malice and a feeble attempt to justify the restriction of freedom of speech, the council said.
"On December 3 of this year, AZERTAC correspondent Aygun Huseynova was sent to the French colony of New Caledonia to cover the liberation movement of the local population. However, she was denied entry at the airport, allegedly due to the lack of a visa [to New Caledonia]," the council explained. "The journalist was threatened with arrest and sent to a third country. This brought serious wave of negativity in Azerbaijani media, and protest statements have been issued."
"All of this, along with the widespread resonance in the international media regarding the unacceptable behavior in New Caledonia, seemed to prompt the ruling circles of France to seek 'arguments'. The campaign of 'black PR' against AZERTAC employees and labeling them as 'spies' can only be seen as a response to these events," the council said.
"The activities of Azerbaijani media representatives have nothing to do with any illegal actions. They have a humanitarian and social motive, based on their desire to cover the liberation struggle of the people of New Caledonia," the council mentioned. "The fact that the police of New Caledonia ignores this, creating an artificial barrier to the activities of Azerbaijani journalists, is a clear disregard for freedom of speech, considered an integral part of fundamental human rights and freedoms."
"The injustice against the Azerbaijani journalist has also been condemned by the President of the Union Caledonia political party Daniel Goa, expressing support for Azerbaijani media representatives," the council highlighted. "In such a situation, the attempt to discredit Azerbaijani journalists in the French media once again confirms that the government of the country intends to conceal its despotic nature. The goal is clear: to prevent the spread of the truth about peoples under colonial rule, including the people of New Caledonia."
The Azerbaijan Press Council strongly condemned the defamatory campaign conducted in the French media against AZERTAC employees and the spread of provocative information.
The council considered this an undemocratic step, intolerance towards freedom of speech, and declares that such an approach contradicts both ethical values and the historical progressive nature of French statehood.
"Unfortunately, the current president of the country, Emmanuel Macron, and his autocratic administration are so paralyzed that they cannot contemplate the damage caused to their country by primitive political games in terms of freedom of speech," the council noted.
Additionally, the Press Council called on the global media community to unite against the unacceptable actions of the French authorities and to voice its protest.
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