Leigh in Azerbaijan

(Every week online papers here report on breeches of journalists’ liberty.  this one is from Azernews.az)

Western countries have voiced concern over the recent attack on a reporter with Azerbaijan’s opposition daily Azadlig.
US Amb. Anne Derse who visited the injured journalist on Friday stressed that violence against journalists was unacceptable. “We are shocked and appalled by this heinous crime.  Our hearts go out to the young man and his family.”
Agil Khalil was stabbed in the chest by two unidentified men as he left the editorial office on Thursday night. His editor said his injuries were serious but not life-threatening.
Khalil said he had been followed for several days and maintained the attack was instigated by officials over his exposing articles.
Derse said this attack and other violent attacks against journalists had created “a climate of fear” in an apparent effort to silence critical voices in Azerbaijan.
“I know that all freedom-loving Azerbaijanis share our outrage and dismay at this cowardly deed, and agree that it is unacceptable.
“Immediate action to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of this and other crimes will make clear that Azerbaijan is reversing this climate of fear and upholding the rule of law and freedom of speech,” the ambassador said.
The journalist was previously the target of a physical attack on February 22 when individuals illegally felling trees in an olive garden in the 6th microdistrict of Baku spotted him filming them. The assailants then broke his finger. Bystanders came to his rescue. The journalist said two persons had attacked him.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media on Monday condemned the attack on the Azadlig journalist and urged the government to investigate.
“I welcome the Presidential Administration’s pledge to bring Agil Khalil’s attackers to justice,” Miklos Haraszti said. “Action is necessary not only for the sake of justice in this case but also in order to investigate whether the attack was part of a campaign against Azadlig, which is one of the few remaining independent newspapers in Azerbaijan.”
“Lack of successful governmental investigation in cases of violence against journalists encourages the repetition of such crimes,” Haraszti said.
First secretary of the German embassy in Azerbaijan Robert Zessner, who also called on the journalist, said each attack on a journalist in the country created the enviornment of mistrust and posed obstacles for the activity of local media.
Head of the President’s Office socio-political department, Ali Hasanov, said Azerbaijani authorities considered the attack on the Azadlig reporter an ordinary crime.
“The government’s position on the incident is unequivocal. This is a regular crime, and regardless of who committed it, law enforcement agencies will find and prosecute the culprits,” Hasanov said.
“At the same time, given the fact that a journalist was targeted, we consider this a provocation against the authorities, as in all countries, attacks and other pressure on journalists are taken seriously and damage that country’s image. In this sense, we are taking into account that a presidential election will be held this year, and no matter what the motive behind this crime was, it repsresents a provocation against Azerbaijani authorities. We hope that those who committed the crime will be found and receive due punishment soon.”
The Interior Ministry spokesman Sadig Gozalov said a criminal case had been started on charges of inflicting light damages to one’s health. The case is overseen by the country’s interior minister and prosecutor-general.