11:24, 7 April 2004

Deputies want opposition activist's songs to be broadcasted

Deputies of the Azerbaijan parliament Milli Majlis, the chairman of the Union of Writers Anar and people's poet Vagif Samedoglu addressed the chairman of Azerbaijan State TV and Radio Company and directors of TV companies ANS, Space, Leader and ATB with a request to broadcast songs of People's Artist of Azerbaijan Flora Kerimova and to create conditions for her so that she would be able to take part in cultural events. In their address, the deputies mentioned Flora Kerimova's special role in Azerbaijan culture.

Flora Kerimova is an activist of the opposition Musavat party. That is why she has been denied access to both state and private TV channels in Azerbaijan for over a year. Though, ANS TV company broke this private ban recently and started to invited Ms Kerimova to its programs.

Author: Shakhin Rzayev, expert of the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations

Source: Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (Moscow)