Today (3 September) OSCE Baku office held a presentation in connection with special vests made for Azerbaijani journalists.
According to the reports the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety received from the OSCE, the vests will assist the journalists to be identified during social events and demonstrations.
It is stated in the report that the vests were made with financial support of OSCE representative on press freedom. The vests will be distributed to journalists by the Press Council.
“The creation of safe environment for the journalists during social events, especially during pre-election campaigning, is very important. I am confident that these vests will contribute to the security of media representatives,” OSCE Baku Office Head Hose Luis Herrera said this during the presentation ceremony.
At the event, Herraro expressed the view of OSCE Special Representative for Media Freedom Miklos Haraszti. “Police should assist press representatives covering all kinds of demonstrations, including unsanctioned actions. In addition, journalists should be helping the police by differentiating themselves. These vests made for the press will help this.”
Interior Deputy Minister Oruc Zalov also participated in the presentation of the new vests. He applauded the OSCE initiative and noted that new light green vests to be distributed among journalists and blue vests, which were distributed three years ago, will help police to distinguish between the journalists and conflict or action participants.
Press Council Chairman Aflatun Amashov said the vests will be distributed next week. According to Amashov, 350 vests were made three years ago and 300 of them were distributed to the journalists. This time 200 vests have been made and they will be given out to editorial offices.