President: Freedom of speech is fully secured in Azerbaijan
By Nazrin Gadimova
Freedom of speech is fully secured in Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev said on July 22, speaking at a ceremony of opening a building for journalists on the occasion of the 138th anniversary of the National Press Day.
The President congratulated journalists over this ceremonial day and wished them success in their work.
"Today we have gathered for this beautiful opening ceremony," the President said. "A new building will be commissioned for journalists today. I congratulate you on this happy occasion. I can say that this initiative is being implemented for the first time in the world. I am very pleased that Azerbaijan is a leader in this sphere as well. Because, as is known, journalism is a very hard, responsible profession, but most journalists cannot buy flats in these homes for their salaries. Therefore, I believe that this was the most acceptable initiative to reward those who have worked for many years in journalism and who have shown professionalism in their sphere."
President Aliyev noted that the initiative put forward by journalists at a meeting with media representatives was immediately supported and such a beautiful building was rapidly built.
"I am confident that a complex will be created around the building in the future," the President said. "The building itself is very nicely located. It has a magnificent view on the Flag Square. This whole area will be landscaped and new infrastructure facilities are planned to be created. Baku Art City, i.e. the art campus, is planned to be set up. The Palace of Water Sports is being built. So, the construction work will be accelerated in this area. I am sure that we will often meet with you at those ceremonies."
The President noted that among those who received apartments in this building are representatives of various media outlets, people with different political views, which is natural.
"This initiative shows once again that there is not and must not be divergence in Azerbaijan in this sphere. So, I believe that there is a healthy atmosphere, a healthy environment and, of course, journalists' professionalism in the society. Their activity in shaping public opinion futher improves this healthy sphere."
The President noted that National Leader Heydar Aliyev's initiative on the abolition of censorship served as an impetus for the development of the media.
"The freedom of the press is out of the question in a country with censorship. I believe that the process of complete formation of the Azerbaijani press started from that day. The freedom of speech is fully ensured in Azerbaijan today. Press bodies are operating and of course, censorship is out of the question. At the same time, Azerbaijan has made its presence felt in the use of modern technologies, and as is known, Internet journalism is currently rapidly developing in Azerbaijan and the country has a completely free Internet."
"The state programs are being rapidly implemented, including those through the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan," he added. "Each city will be provided with broadband internet. Today, the number of Internet users exceeds 70 percent."
The President also said much work must be done to cover the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in foreign media, stressing the importance of coverage regarding the Khojaly genocide.
"Several countries have recognized the Khojaly genocide in the last few years," President Aliyev said. "Why? They recognize it because the country, public organizations, the society as a whole constantly keep the issue in the spotlight and this reflects the reality in the world. In general, no one except journalists is able to organize work at a high level to present the genocide in the world, especially, if we take into account that we can say a lot."
Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan has achieved much in different areas and remarkable development in many spheres in recent years.
The President cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the building and got acquainted with the conditions provided there.
The head of state then laid the foundation stone for another apartment block for journalists.
Speaking at the event, Head of the Presidential Administration's social and political affairs department Ali Hasanov said that President Aliyev and the government appreciate the work of journalists, freedom of expression, political pluralism, and this is testified by the measures taken to improve the living conditions of journalists and to solve their social problems.
"We think that the journalists who couldn't get apartments in this building will get them in another one. All journalists who have merits in Azerbaijani media will be provided with state care," Hasanov said.
Hasanov noted that the issue of construction of a second building for journalists, the foundation of which was laid, has already been resolved. The journalists are expected to receive apartments in this building in two years.
According to him, the place for the new building has already been revealed, as it will be constructed near the first one.
"In his speech, the President said this place will turn into a campus of creative people," Hasanov said. "This will be a new residential campus and if we take into account that the seaside boulevard is expected to stretch to this place, then it will turn into one of the most beautiful places of Baku and Azerbaijan. We believe that creative people will be inspired by the conditions and further expand their creative potential."
Hasanov also said that not only creative people were provided with apartments in the new building.
Chairman of the Press Council Aflatun Amashov, executive of Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency (AzerTAc) Batul Eyvazli and Editor-in-Chief of the "525-ci qazet" newspaper Rashad Majid also spoke at the event.
Akinchi newspaper
The National Press Day is celebrated in Azerbaijan on July 22 and is linked to the date of the issue of the first printed edition of Akinchi newspaper ("The Ploughman"), founded by Azerbaijani journalist, teacher and scholar, Moscow University alumnus Hasan Bey Zardabi.
Hasan bey Zardabi is well known as the first Azerbaijani newspaper editor. The rapid growth and development of the city of Baku had revealed the need for a national press.
Hasan bey went through the backwardness, ignorance and fanaticism of the people, jealousy, ill-wishing, as well as direct hostility of the authorities toward his desire to do something necessary and useful for the Azerbaijani people.
July 22, 1875 became a significant date both for the Azerbaijani media and for Zardabi.
"When a tiny and neat newspaper was published, Hasan bey shed tears of joy," Zardabi's wife Hanifa Khanum wrote. "He came home in a highly excited and jubilant mood with a newspaper in his hands. That day was the happiest day of his life."
One of the main purposes of Akinchi was to spread knowledge in the field of agriculture, as well as various information about the improvements in agriculture. The newspaper also gave a lot of advice on medicine, hygiene and physiology. But the most important was the fact that the newspaper published serious articles about the causes of underdevelopment, lack of education of the population.
The newspaper received a great response: in the first few days it was circulated not only in Azerbaijan but also in Russia. The language of Akinchi was simple and clear to everyone and awakened the nation.
Akinchi played an important role in the formation and development of the Azerbaijani national press. In a short time Akinchi became popular among intellectuals and ordinary people.
The first Azerbaijani newspaper was regarded as revolutionary not only as the first periodical published in Azerbaijani, but also for being the means of reaching the masses. In order to make media accessible to lower classes, Zardabi propagated reforms in the Azerbaijani literary language aimed to make it more popular by excluding bulky expressions and loanwords from Persian and Arabic languages used mostly in religious texts and classical poetry.
This newspaper was shut down several times by the Russian authorities as "harmful and politically unreliable". After the closure of Akinchi in 1877 Zardabi was exiled to his native village.
Over the years, the Azerbaijani press has been a mirror of public opinion about the ongoing developments. In 1998 Azerbaijani National Leader Heydar Aliyev abolished censorship. This decision gave an impetus to further development of the national press.