Today an event was conducted to mark the end of the second round of the competition carried out within the framework of the “Elmar Prize” project.

In his introductory speech, Shahbaz Khuduoglu noted that representatives of ANS, “Internews” and six print media participated in the competition’s first round. He said, “The journalists have to be very active in this stage. All 18 of the journalists represent the print media.  This time the most diligent journalists have been chosen.”

Khuduoglu stated that the journalists will be awarded for their investigative articles on 17 July – Elmar Huseynov’s birthday.

Then grants were distributed to 11 journalists chosen among the 18. Judging panel member Shahvalad Chobanoglu thanked the journalists that managed to write investigative articles at this difficult time and to keep E.Huseynov memory alive in this way. He said, “This means that Elmar is still alive and remembered.”

Then another member of the board Tapdig Farhadoglu said he hoped the journalists will write more articles that match international standards. “We need research but not analytical journalism,” said Farhadoglu. “During the last stage I came across articles in which journalists presented their ideas as fact.”

U.S. Embassy representative Dmitry Trachovsky, who was participating in the event as a guest, congratulated the winners and expressed concern about the slow progress into Elmar Huseynov’s investigation. “We hope the murderers of Elmar Huseynov and the people who attempted to kill Agil Khalil will soon be found. I don’t understand such slow progress in the investigations.”

At the end, Shahbaz Khuduoglu mentioned that Ganimat Zahidov and Eynulla Fatullayev are not acting on the board of judges because they are currently imprisoned. He added that Elmar Huseynov’s wife moved to Norway, and “Vedomosti” and “Bakinskiye Vedomosti” newspapers closed, and some of his friends live “so-so”. He said he appreciated that the media responds to “clenched teeth” with a smile.