Journalist Safety in Nagorno Karabakh
Partner organisations of the Council of Europe Platform sign a statement of urgent concern on journalist safety in Nagorno Karabakh.
Oct 29, 2020.
Today, the Rory Peck Trust joined 11 other partner organisations of the Council of Europe Safety of Journalists Platform in expressing our concern at the risks to physical safety and undue restrictions faced by journalists covering the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh, South Caucasus.
Since the conflict over the disputed region began on 27th September, there have been several violent attacks on journalists, including two separate cases of shelling that resulted in serious injuries to French and Russian reporters. Regarding press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists reports that Armenian authorities have stripped Ilya Azar, a correspondent with Russian independent daily Novaya Gazeta, of his press accreditation.
In situations of conflict, the free and unhindered practice of journalism is essential in order to safeguard the right of the general public to be informed and to be able to evaluate the actions of public authorities.