In the framework of the international press forum "Journalists under the gun: attacks on freedom of speech and reprisals against reporters. How to save lives and guarantee safety" Ayten Karadag (Azerbaijan), member of the Organizing Committee of the International Union of Free Journalists, representative of the editorial board of the Third Rome Telegram channel, spoke about the activities of the International Union of Free Journalists.
The press forum was held on Thursday, November 19, on the platform of the Patriot Media Group. The organizer is the Foundation for the Fight against Repression (Russia)
The text of Ayten Karadag's speech is given in full:
"Dear friends! Let me introduce you to the activities of the new human rights organization. We are talking about the International Union of Free Journalists.
The International Union of Free Journalists was initiated in September 2022 as a public initiative, and currently operates in the format of an Organizing Committee.
The idea of creating the International Union of Free Journalists belongs to a wide range of media professionals, political scientists and human rights defenders from Moldova, Russia, Belarus, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Latvia and Austria, as a reaction to unprecedented government campaigns in Moldova, Ukraine, the Baltic States, Germany, etc., aimed at persecuting citizens for their political position, commitment to family values, criticism of pro-Western regimes.
The main purpose of the Union is to protect the rights and freedoms of the media, journalists, opinion leaders, etc.
The International Union of Free Journalists also aims to develop and assist in the development of modern media that meet the criteria of professionalism, freedom of speech, and adherence to traditional values.
The first stage of the Union's activities is aimed at the need to end the persecution of specific citizens (journalists, human rights defenders, political experts) in the Baltic States, Moldova and Ukraine.
As part of its activity, the Organizing Committee of the Union sends open letters to the authorities of different countries of the world demanding to stop the persecution of media workers, human rights defenders, publicists, public figures, etc. All these issues are being made public through the media in Russia and other countries.
Also at the end of last year, an official letter was sent to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, detailing the facts of repression against Russian journalists and public figures in the Baltic States. Later, a response was received from the Russian Foreign Ministry with assurances of the interest of the Russian Foreign Ministry in resolving these issues as soon as possible and with information about the activities of the Russian Foreign Ministry in this direction.
A joint letter was also sent with the Association of Orthodox Experts (Russia) to Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, asking him to influence the prevention of the genocide of Russians in Ukraine. We are talking about the persecution of those Ukrainians who identify themselves as members of the Russian Orthodox Church. Some time after receiving the letter, the Permanent Representative of Russia requested a special meeting of the UN Security Council on the issue.
The coordinator of the Organizing Committee of the International Union of Free Journalists is Nicolai Kostyrkin, a representative of Moldova, who is being persecuted in his homeland for supporting the special military operation of the Russian armed forces to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine. Kostyrkin, who also defends the rights of the Russian and Russian-speaking population of Moldova, has been prosecuted for "propaganda of war" and "ethnic hatred."
The International Union of Free Journalists cooperates closely with the Foundation for Combating Repression, the European Center for the Protection of Human Rights, the Civic Chamber of the Eurasian Economic Union and other structures."
The text of Ayten Karadag's speech is given in full:
"Dear friends! Let me introduce you to the activities of the new human rights organization. We are talking about the International Union of Free Journalists.
The International Union of Free Journalists was initiated in September 2022 as a public initiative, and currently operates in the format of an Organizing Committee.
The idea of creating the International Union of Free Journalists belongs to a wide range of media professionals, political scientists and human rights defenders from Moldova, Russia, Belarus, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Latvia and Austria, as a reaction to unprecedented government campaigns in Moldova, Ukraine, the Baltic States, Germany, etc., aimed at persecuting citizens for their political position, commitment to family values, criticism of pro-Western regimes.
The main purpose of the Union is to protect the rights and freedoms of the media, journalists, opinion leaders, etc.
The International Union of Free Journalists also aims to develop and assist in the development of modern media that meet the criteria of professionalism, freedom of speech, and adherence to traditional values.
The first stage of the Union's activities is aimed at the need to end the persecution of specific citizens (journalists, human rights defenders, political experts) in the Baltic States, Moldova and Ukraine.
As part of its activity, the Organizing Committee of the Union sends open letters to the authorities of different countries of the world demanding to stop the persecution of media workers, human rights defenders, publicists, public figures, etc. All these issues are being made public through the media in Russia and other countries.
Also at the end of last year, an official letter was sent to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, detailing the facts of repression against Russian journalists and public figures in the Baltic States. Later, a response was received from the Russian Foreign Ministry with assurances of the interest of the Russian Foreign Ministry in resolving these issues as soon as possible and with information about the activities of the Russian Foreign Ministry in this direction.
A joint letter was also sent with the Association of Orthodox Experts (Russia) to Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, asking him to influence the prevention of the genocide of Russians in Ukraine. We are talking about the persecution of those Ukrainians who identify themselves as members of the Russian Orthodox Church. Some time after receiving the letter, the Permanent Representative of Russia requested a special meeting of the UN Security Council on the issue.
The coordinator of the Organizing Committee of the International Union of Free Journalists is Nicolai Kostyrkin, a representative of Moldova, who is being persecuted in his homeland for supporting the special military operation of the Russian armed forces to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine. Kostyrkin, who also defends the rights of the Russian and Russian-speaking population of Moldova, has been prosecuted for "propaganda of war" and "ethnic hatred."
The International Union of Free Journalists cooperates closely with the Foundation for Combating Repression, the European Center for the Protection of Human Rights, the Civic Chamber of the Eurasian Economic Union and other structures."