Protest lodged with the Guardian over biased Garabagh coverage
London, September 4, AZERTAC
Amir Aliyev, Chairman of the Board of the "Center for the Promotion of Human Rights" Public Union and Professor of Law, has submitted a formal protest letter to The Guardian regarding a recent review published by the British newspaper on Alexis Pazumian's documentary film, Black Garden.
In his letter, Professor Aliyev raised concerns over the publication's editorial commentary in its August 31 review, noting that the newspaper framed the historical narrative around the Garabagh region using one-sided terminology and omitted vital context. He highlighted that the material failed to mention Armenia's decades-long military occupation of internationally recognized Azerbaijani sovereign territory or the displacement of more than one million Azerbaijanis.
Aliyev stressed that while a documentary film reflects its creator's subjective perspective, an established international news outlet presenting historical context in its own voice is obligated to deliver factual accuracy. He cited four 1993 UN Security Council resolutions confirming Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and demanding the immediate withdrawal of occupying forces, alongside the 2015 European Court of Human Rights ruling in Chiragov and Others v. Armenia, which affirmed Armenia's effective control over the occupied territories.
The letter requests that The Guardian publish the response in its letters section and provide fair coverage to the experiences of Azerbaijani refugees, internally displaced persons, and survivors of the Khojaly tragedy. Emphasizing that durable reconciliation between Azerbaijan and Armenia requires objective media framing, Aliyev offered to provide documented research and first-hand testimonies to ensure balanced coverage of the region's history.
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