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Dunja Mijatović OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, issued a statement condemning the attacks on the journalists in the Azerbaijani town of Sabirabad who were covering the election rally of presidential candidate from the oppositionist party, the OSCE website reports. "I strongly condemn today's attack on the journalists. Violence against the journalists continues to threaten the freedom of the Azerbaijani media," Mijatovic said.

She stressed that any offence against journalists should be viewed as a blow to the Azerbaijani society as a whole. "The fact that the attack took place in the presence of the police officers who are required to help journalists and protect them is particularly unacceptable. I call on the authorities to start an immediate investigation of the incident and bring the attackers to account, and to do everything possible to ensure the safety of media personnel at any time," the statement of the Special Representative of OSCE reads.

According to the Azerbaijani news agency "Turan", yesterday, in the Azerbaijani town of Sabirabad a group of provocateurs with badges of Heydar Aliyev on their chest attacked and beat the journalists covering the election campaign of the Azerbaijani oppositionist candidate for president, Jamil Hasanli.

The men who had attacked the journalists beat them with arms and legs, trying to take the cameras away. The police, instead of protecting the journalists was blocking their way, so that they could not escape the attackers. The journalists escaped from the encirclement with great difficulty. Many of the press officers were injured, and one reporter had lost his tooth.

According to Azerbaijani "Haqqin.az" portal, deputy chairman of "Musavat" opposition party Arif Hajily, the retaliation against Jamil Hasanly was organized personally by the Chief Executive of Sabirabad Nazim Ismailov. Hajily noted that there were also employees of executive power among those who attacked Jamil Hasanly.

Earlier, during the meeting a group of youths tried to attack the tribune from where the leaders of the opposition were to make a speech. Local oppositionist members had formed a human shield, and brought both Jamil Hasanly and Ali Kerimli out from the stadium.