Azeri president gets Friend of Journalists award
BAKU – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was conferred with the Friend of Journalists in 2010 award on Wednesday. The award was presented to the president by the Press Council chairman Aflatun Amashov.
The Azerbaijan Committee for the Protection of Journalists, RUH, polled journalists in 93 media outlets December 1-20 to determine the winner of the award. 81 percent of those polled said the president was the worthiest candidate for the title.
Addressing the awards ceremony, President Aliyev said he was proud to be a friend of journalists.
"I positively assess the laborious and hard work of journalists and the activity of the Press Council…I will do my best for the development of journalism in Azerbaijan."
The president said there is now independent media in Azerbaijan, and a key turning point for this achievement was the abolition of censorship by the country’s late national leader, former President Heydar Aliyev in 1998.
"I am all for fair criticism. But libel and insults are unacceptable. And it is reassuring that such instances are on downward trend."
The awards ceremony was attended by First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, as well as government and civil society representatives.
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