Armenian journalists appeal to Shushi media forum

ArmInfo.Armenian journalist organizations have appealed to their colleagues participating in the  media forum in Shushi. 

The statement reads: "We, the undersigned organizations, have no  questions for the leadership of the country, which is one of the last  places in the international ratings of freedom of expression, but is  holding another magnificent media forum on July 22-23. We have no  questions for the organizer of this event, the Azerbaijan Media  Development Agency, which supports all government initiatives that  restrict freedom of speech, and regularly attacks human rights  organizations for their criticism of the massive suppression of the  rights of journalists in this country. Unfortunately, there are no  more questions for the reputable media, professional associations  that sent their representatives to the Shusha Forum, the sole purpose  of which is to legitimize Baku's foreign and domestic policy, which  runs counter to the fundamental values of the civilized world - such  promiscuity has long become commonplace for many.

Our question is to our fellow journalists who enjoy the generous  hospitality of the Aliyev regime and find themselves a few kilometers  from the cities and villages of Nagorno-Karabakh, living in isolation  from the outside world for more than seven months. Where thousands of  people have not had access to basic food for a long time, where women  in childbirth cannot be taken to hospital due to lack of gasoline,  where water supply is threatened due to a shortage of electricity...  Doesn't your professional duty prompt you to demand freedom of  movement from the Azerbaijani authorities in order to see with your  own eyes a tragedy, parallels with which are not so easy to find in  the modern world? Is it really not the task of the media to break  through information blockades, when information about what is  happening comes exclusively from biased sources? Will you really be  seized by gullibility, unusual for our profession, and will you  "understand" the arguments that the hosts of the Forum would be happy  to help you overcome the path in a few minutes to the capital of  Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert, but the local Armenian leadership or  Russian peacekeepers will not let you through? But your determination  and perseverance could help bring the current situation in the region  out of the impasse. We are convinced that this, at first glance, an  insignificant episode in the history of journalism can play an  important role in the further reputation of our common profession."

The statement was signed by: Yerevan Press Club, Center for Media  Initiatives, Media Diversity Institute, Center for Freedom of  Information, Club of Public Journalism, Committee for the Protection  of Freedom of Speech, Club of Journalists "Asparez", NGO "Journalists  for the Future", NGO "Journalists for Human Rights", Goris Press  Club, NGO "Themis".

On July 21, in the occupied Artsakh city of Shushi, the Aliyev regime  organized a media forum, which was attended by 150 foreign  representatives from 49 countries, including state news agencies of  34 countries, 12 international organizations and media structures.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also spoke at the event, once  again sending a portion of threats to the Armenians, while assuring  them of their desire to build peace in the South Caucasus. He then  boasted of Turkey's support for the aggression against Artsakh,  adding that the declaration of alliance with Ankara opens up new  horizons for Baku. He also confirmed the fact that Moscow is  preparing a trilateral meeting on the normalization of  Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.