TBILISI. – The tenth South Caucasus Media Conference opened in Tbilisi on Monday.

Representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia participated in the conference organized by OSCE. Each country was presented by a representative of the government and public sector.

The participants evaluated the major developments in Armenia and Georgia in the past ten years, new media expert Samvel Martirosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. The delegates noted progress on media development in the two states, in particular referring to positive results of decriminalization of defamation in Armenia. At the same time the problem of financing of independent media was noted.

As to Azerbaijani delegation, the discussion caused a scandal. First the situation on media was presented by official from Azerbaijani presidential officer Vugar Aliyev. He spoke about media development and access of Azerbaijani citizens to information.

Director of Turan agency Mehman Aliyev was harsher in his statement, accusing the authorities of repressions against media and pressure on journalists. During the Q&A, representatives of Azerbaijani free press accused authorities of killings of journalists, falsification of criminal cases against media representatives.

Khadija Ismayilova, famous for being a victim of persecution of Azerbaijani authorities who spread a sexually explicit video after the journalist criticized the government, said the authorities are distorting the facts. Participants started arguing, after which Vugar Aliyev noted that he has an impression as if Ismayilova was proud of her porn video. The Armenian delegates failed to address the Azerbaijani rappeurters.