Oil-rich countries should support press freedom – Panel
The International Press Institute’s (IPI) “Oil Gas and Media Conference” opened Tuesday in Baku with a call on governments in oil-rich countries like to support a free media and to promote greater transparency in the oil and gas sector.
More than 170 journalists from 27 countries gathered at Gulustan Palace in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan to open the event, the first of its kind, which began with a statement from President Ilham Aliyev, delivered by Ali Hasanov, State Counselor to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Natiq Aliyev, Minister of Industry and Energy for Azerbaijan suggested that “the international media had a lot of prejudice and misconceptions about international oil corporations”.
The opening ceremony attended by several dignitaries including the ambassadors of Iraq and Austria, was immediately followed by the first of several panels, “Oil and Press Freedom – Rig over Troubled Waters?”
Moderated by IPI Deputy Director Anthony Mills, the panel included Curtis Brainard, Editor, The Observatory, Columbia Journalism Review, USA; Jürgen Roth, Investigative Journalist, Germany; and Curtis Williams, Chief Energy Reporter, Trinidad Guardian and Caribbean Correspondent, Oil and Gas Journal.
“Citizens have a right to be given accurate information about the oil and gas industry,” said Mr Mills in his explanation of IPI’s decision to host the conference.
Mr Brainard said press freedom issues in the oil sector were not limited to Third World countries, as reporters in nations such as the United States had also faced issues in coverage, particularly during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
“The Gulf Oil spill highlighted the need for press freedom and how much reporters were not equipped,” said Mr Brainard, adding that “It was just atrocious the kind of response and pushback that characterised this oil spill.”
In a lead to the conference, IPI had been heavily criticised over its decision to host the event in Azerbaijan, a country widely criticised for its poor human rights and press freedom records.
In an interview with local media after the opening session, IPI said it would continue to bring concerns about jailed journalists to the attention of the Aliyev administration.
Later in a meeting with IPI, government officials confirmed that five of eight journalists reportedly in jail had been released from custody. The other three, they argued, were not journalists.
However, IPI reiterated its concern over the jailing and pre-trial detention of journalists and condemned the alleged brief detainment of two journalists working for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) who were covering a protest in front of the Presidential Administration.
The “Oil, Gas and Media Conference” would continue through Wednesday and focus on how investigative reporting could lead to big answers on how oil wealth is distributed, take a look at the oil industry in Baku, and examine how oil companies use social media to promote their image.
Source: GNA