Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (Photo: Demotix)

Critical Azerbaijani journalists may have been jailed, beaten, killed, and forced into hiding and exile. Foreign journalists may have been banned from entering the country for the inaugural European Games in the capital Baku. But don’t worry: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sure loves press freedom — at least according to his tweets.

1) HUNDREDS, you hear!

All freedoms are guaranteed in Azerbaijan. There are hundreds of press organs in Azerbaijan.

— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) January 23, 2015

2) For those who can get in for the European Games, anyway.

A media village is being set up. Paying attention to journalists, we have created good conditions for them too. — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) April 11, 2015

3) All of the freedoms are available.

All freedoms, including the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, the freedom of the press and free Internet, are available.

— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) September 1, 2014

4) No, seriously, ALL OF THEM.

All fundamental freedoms are guaranteed in Azerbaijan. There are free media and free internet. — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) June 16, 2014

5) I really can’t stress this enough.

All freedoms are guaranteed in Azerbaijan – the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, political freedoms, the freedom of conscience.

— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) October 11, 2013

6) Free media = democracy. Azerbaijan definitely has both of those things. Definitely.

We stand for the freedom of the media because freedom of the media means democracy. The media help the (cont) http://t.co/DreFvHbvlf — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) June 27, 2014

7) And the best way to forge active relationships is by banning them from entering the country. Obviously.

The relations with foreign media should be more active, more complete information should be given about the (cont) http://t.co/QJtH0Ejr

— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) September 29, 2012

8) Again, activity is key.

I also think that relations with non-governmental organizations should be even more active. Media relations should develop more actively — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) September 29, 2012

9) Strengthening, targeting. Potato, potato.

I see the future development of media in strengthening of independent, in every sense of the word, independent media…

— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) July 24, 2010

10) …to jail.

Our press has traversed a long and successful path. — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) July 23, 2010

This article was posted on 11 June, 2015 at indexoncensorship.org