This week the media of Azerbaijan received a “package of materials from the
Journalists Union of Armenia”, containing a “statement” of the JUA Chairwoman
Astghik Gevorgian, where 10 journalistic associations of Armenia voiced their
protest against the arrest of Azerbaijani journalist, the editor of “Real Azerbaijan”
newspaper Eynullah Fatullaev and held a demand to Azerbaijani authorities to
urgently release Fatullaev. The other “material of the package” contained the
same text, but this time with the names and contact details of heads of 10 journalistic
associations of Armenia, on the “official stationery” of one of the NGOs, “Investigative
Journalists”. The third “material of the package” was article by journalist
Nelson Alexanian “Clyster Instead of a Bitter Pill” from www.analitika.am. The
article had with it several photographs, including a copy of passport of an
Armenian citizen (whose initials we think its appropriate to omit) with a picture
of man, very similar to Eynullah Fatullaev.
This entire “package” had been allegedly sent from Astghik Gevorgian’s e-mail
account [email protected].
With no difficulty at all Yerevan Press Club found out that the JUA Chairwoman
Astghik Gevorgian does not have and has never had this e-mail account. Neither
Astghik Gevorgian, nor “Investigative Journalists” and other journalistic associations
mentioned in the “materials” made or released any statement regarding Eynullah
Fatullaev. As to the article by Nelson Alexanian, it really was placed on www.analitika.am
on May 21, 2007, but with only one photograph – the picture of Fatullaev. The
reasons for the persecution of the Azerbaijani journalist as narrated in the
article are solely the opinion of its author and cannot be in any way a sign
of the growing outcry in Armenia against the conviction of Eynullah Fatullaev
– while as we know, this is the impression currently promoted in Azerbaijan.
The journalistic community of Armenia has always been against any kind of criminal
persecution of media representatives for their professional activities. However,
no protest actions regarding the arrests and convictions of Azerbaijani journalists
(which have become particularly frequent recently) have been initiated by Armenian
colleagues – primarily because of the sensitiveness of relations between our
countries. Under the circumstances the principle of “make no harm” is the priority.
Who needed this fraud? We believe the Azerbaijani colleagues themselves will
find this question quite easy to answer.
