EANA Board expresses deep regret for Azerbaijani journalists’ deaths

Baku, June 8, AZERTAC The European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) has expressed condolences over the killing of Azerbaijani journalists in Kalbajar district. The message of condolences posted on the EANA’s website reads: “The European Alliance of News Agencies expresses deep regrets for the death of Maharram Ibrahimov, a colleague and reporter with the AZERTAC state news agency while doing his job. He was killed together with Siraj Abishov, a state television journalist, and Arif Aliyev, a local official, in the explosion of an anti-tank mine, according to a joint statement from the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor General's Office. We pass our condolences to the grieving families and express our support for AZERTAC, our member agency. EANA underlines the imperative need that journalists be protected and their jobs respected as being at the basis of democratic societies, and urges combative parties to insure the protection of journalists reporting from the field. Regretfully, news agency journalists have been constantly put under pressure while covering conflict zones, culminating with the death of our colleague from AZERTAC, by which we were deeply saddened.” The condolence message was signed by EANA President & CEO of DPA Peter Kropsch, member of the Board & Director General of ATA Armela Krasniqi, member of the Board & CEO of PA Group Clive Marshall, member of the Board & Director General of CTK Jiri Majstr and EANA Secretary General of EANA Alexandru Ion Giboi. EANA, which has a significant impact on global information policy, brings together 32 European news agencies. AZERTAC, a member of EANA since 2008, is closely involved in the organization's activity.