Obama Speaks for Bloggers

Sep. 26, 2010

NEW YORK — U.S. President Barack Obama urged Azeri President Ilham Aliyev on Friday to free two Azeri opposition bloggers jailed in 2009 on what rights groups say are fabricated charges.

A White House statement said Obama “expressed his hope that Azerbaijan as a young democracy would implement democratic reforms and increase protections for human rights, including by releasing two jailed bloggers.”

The families of the two bloggers asked Obama in an open letter to raise the case during his talks with Aliyev on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Aliyev did not comment on the statement.

Obama also urged Kyrgyz Roza Otunbayeva on Friday to take more steps to prevent a renewal of violence after ethnic conflict that erupted in June.

(Reuters)

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue