24 July 2008, 11:41
US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ann Derse recognized as "Journalists' Friend"
Today, the Caspian Plaza business centre in the capital of Azerbaijan was the venue of awarding Ann Derse, US Ambassador in Baku, with the prize "Journalists' Friend", founded by the NGO "Political and Civil Rights". The ceremony was attended by MPs, mass media managers and human rights activist of Azerbaijan.
Parviz Khashimi, leader of the said NGO, has noted that according to the poll conducted among more than 60 well-known media people Ms Derse has won most of the votes. He called it a logic result, since the American diplomat is consistently voicing in support of the freedom of speech and press in Azerbaijan.
The runner-up in the poll was Andreas Herkel, co-rapporteur of the PACE Monitoring Committee for Azerbaijan, and the third place went to Robert Menard, head of the international organization "Reporters without Borders", the fourth one - to Emin Guseinov, head of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety.
In her speech Ambassador Derse said that free press is the main guarantor of citizens' rights. In a free society the law should not block access to information, and slander should not be criminally punished.
Author: Faik Medzhid, CK correspondent
