Azerbaijan marks National Press Day

Azerbaijan is celebrating National Press Day today.

On July 22, 1875, the first issue of Akinchi [Ploughman] newspaper was published, founded by one of the outstanding representatives of his time's enlightenment movement, Hasan bay Zardabi (Malikov), and thus the foundations of Azerbaijan's national press were laid, according to Caliber.Az.

Akinchi laid the groundwork for a truly democratic and popular press in Azerbaijani, and the newspaper, which published 56 issues in total, became the people's mirror and the standard-bearer of Azerbaijani journalism.

Such newspapers and magazines as Ziya, Kashkul, Shargi Rus, Irshad, Molla Nasraddin published in subsequent years by well-known representatives of the intelligentsia continued the traditions of Akinchi. The main purpose of these press outlets was the fight against ignorance, injustice and educational activities.

In the modern period, the country pays great attention to the development of the media, freedom of the press and speech. President Ilham Aliyev signed important orders for the development of a free press, strengthening the material and technical base of the media, and improving the socio-economic condition of journalists.

In the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020, Azerbaijan won both on the battlefield and in the information space. Certain circles that regularly conducted campaigns to denigrate our country continued to misinform the world community during this period. But despite this, even in the information war, the advantage was on the side of Azerbaijan, which liberated its historical lands from [Armenia's 30-year] occupation, fighting for truth and justice.

Two representatives of the Azerbaijani press have become victims of Armenian terror. On June 4, a vehicle carrying journalists filming the liberated territories after the end of the Patriotic War was blown up by an anti-tank mine near Kalbajar District's Susuzlug village. As a result, Azertac [Azertag] correspondent Maharram Ibrahimov, state AZTV channel operator Siraj Abishov and deputy representative of the Kalbajar District executive head for the rural administrative district Susuzlug Arif Aliyev were killed, and four others were injured.

On June 14, President Ilham Aliyev awarded Siraj Abishov, Arif Aliyev and Maharram Ibrahimov with the Orders of Merit for the Fatherland of the 3rd degree posthumously.

On July 22 last year, on National Press Day, President Ilham Aliyev presented apartments to the families of martyrs Ibrahimov and Abishov.

Events to widely celebrate the anniversaries of the national press in the country, providing one-time assistance to the media, strengthening the social protection of media workers, as well as orders to award journalists honorary titles for services to the development of the national press are also integral part of caring for the media and their employees.