http://en.mirzexezerinsesi.net/articles/2009/06/01/mirza-khazars-appeal-to-website-visitors-14-01-2004 en-us 40 <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>14 January 2004</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Hello, dear compatriots! Hello, dear guest! Welcome to The Website Of The Radiostation “The Voice of Mirza Khazar”!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><br /> Since my removal from the Azadliq radio on September 2nd, 2003, this is the first opportunity I have had to communicate with my former listeners and my compatriots. This time, however, my instrument is not the microphone, but this website and I am grateful for this chance. Silencing creativity is an unjustice to the field of journalism. Creativity seeks freedom and a genuine democratic radio thrives on free speech. On “Black January” in 1990 when the armed forces of the USSR invaded the Azerbaijani capital Baku, I directed the microphone of radio Azadliq to help justice, the homeland, and a suppressed nation. In spite of attempts of the Soviet KGB and Supreme Soviet of USSR to silence my voice, in spite of all pressure put on me inside Azadliq, in spite of heavy censorship imposed on my programs, I refused to give in, I refused to be turned away from my purpose and goal. One-and-a half years later the USSR started to collapse and Azerbaijan gained its independence.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><br /> Thirteen years after “Black January”, on September 2, 2003 the senior management of the Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty corporation punished me for my programming in January 1990. I was removed from my position, and my employment with the RFE/RL was terminated. The charge: my coverage of the 1990 January events was unprofessional and I had violated Professional Code. They were right. When I approached the microphone to condemn Soviet agression, spread the anguish of Azerbaijan to the world, read national poems on air, I acted not as an American journalist, but as an Azerbaijani. This was a great honor for me. And today, thirteen years after “Black January” to be removed from my position for that deed, is still a great honor for me. I have not turned back from my pace and I have no intention to do so. To tell the truth, to name justice as a justice, injustice as an injustice, to call white – white, black – black, to help powerless people, to sooth those under yoke, to protect freedom, to defend human dignity; these were my principles during my 27 years of work at the Radio Liberty, and they are still valid for me today, only this time through a new medium, a new beginning based on my old values.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Dear compatriot! Dear guest! The site you are visiting now, when complete, will be different from all existing websites inside and outside Azerbaijan; the main difference being the “voice”. The name of the website is not “Mirza Khazar’s website”, but the website of “The Voice of Mirza Khazar”. You will see many innovations on our site, which you never have seen in other websites.</p> <p>Thank you for taking a tour through website of “The Voice of Mirza Khazar”. Bon voyage!</p> <p>Yours truly,</p> <p>Mirza Khazar</p> <p> </p> Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:57:52 -0400 urn:uuid:659d5a6a-68ac-48c0-af79-f49a3fde04a0 Mirza Khazar http://en.mirzexezerinsesi.net/articles/2009/06/01/mirza-khazars-appeal-to-website-visitors-14-01-2004 Mirza Khazar's archive http://en.mirzexezerinsesi.net/articles/trackback/5356