GJC: 300 journalists became refugees in nagorno Karabakh

The Global Journalism Council (GJC) announced that approximately 300 journalists were victims of conflict and became refugees due to the ongoing war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno Karabakh.

In a written message published in Turkish and English, the international media organization GJC invited the world media to report objectively from the region. The organizations President Mehmet Ali Dim made the statement on behalf of the GJC.

ARMENIA’S OCCUPATION MUST END

Armenia, which has occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory for nearly 30 years, does not abide by all the decisions and calls of international and intergovernmental organizations, especially the United Nations (UN), and continues its aggressive policy by not withdrawing from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
The fighting broke recently again when Armenian forces opened fire on Azerbaijani territory, killing and injuring innocent civilians. Azerbaijan counterattacked Armenian forces and has been able to take back at least 7 villages from its occupied Nagorno Karabakh region.

Historically part of Azerbaijan, the autonomous Nagorno Karabakh region broke away close to dissolution of USSR and was then illegally occupied by Armenia in 1993.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union and the withdrawal of its troops from the region prepared the ground for war between Azerbaijan and Armenian.
In February 1992, Armenians in Karabakh committed genocide in the town of Khojaly by resorting to violence that could be described as “ethnic cleansing” against the Azerbaijani Turks.

Since no pressure or sanctions were imposed on Armenia by the UN Security Council, the Azerbaijani territory has been under occupation for nearly 30 years. The resolution 822 of the UNSC was accepted after the occupation of Kelbajar, and it was stated that stability and security in the region were under threat, and the Armenian army was asked to end the occupation immediately and unconditionally. Upon the invasion of Aghdam, the UNSC adopted resolution 853 and requested the parties to make a ceasefire and asked full withdrawal of Armenian forces from all regions, including Aghdam. In resolution 874 adopted after the occupation of Fuzuli, Cebrail and Kubatlı districts, the parties were called for a ceasefire and peace. Resolution no. 884 was taken after the occupation of Zengilan and demanded that the Armenian forces leave all the occupied territories unconditionally. In this decision, the Armenian forces were asked to implement the resolutions 822, 853 and 874, which were previously adopted. These decisions, which demanded the immediate, unconditional and complete withdrawal of the Armenian forces from the occupied territories, have been ignored by the Yerevan administrations until now.

UP TO 300 JOURNALISTS VICTIMS

Due to Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territories for the past 30 years, ignoring international law, around 300 journalists have become refugees as direct result of Armenian aggression. Elşad Eyvazlı, Chairman of the Global Journalism Council Foreign Media Assembly and Chairman of the Azerbaijan Parliament Journalists Union called on all journalists around the world to see the brutality suffered by the civilian population in the occupied Azerbaijani lands. Elşad Eyvazlı stated that Turkish and international media members working in the war zone sometimes work under difficult conditions due to guns and harassment shots by Armenia. “In addition, while Armenia is transmitting the events in the region to the whole world through its powerful diaspora incorrectly, we invite the world media to take a just look to the events and report objectively.” Eyvazlı said.