Germany is a place of refuge for many persecuted journalists – not least because of the opportunities to conduct independent journalism. Some reporters must be in the German exile carefully.
At the entrance of the office building in Berlin-Kreuzberg no indication whatsoever of MeydanTV is to discover; the successful Azerbaijani Online platform do not want to attract too much attention. The 39-year-old Director and founder, Emin Milli, has already been clearly threatened. An employee of the Azerbaijani Minister, says Milli, told him on the phone that he should not believe that he was safe in Germany. A colleague of MeydanTV was taken some time ago from Georgia and now sits in Azerbaijan in the prison. So there are reasons to be cautious.
With a wife and kid Milli fled six years ago from his home, where he was twice behind bars. As a Journalist, you could not work there, he says, in any case, if you had set the Regime against critical. And Emin Milli. The government under President Aliyev, he considers to be “authoritarian, criminal and corrupt.” The verbal threats, writes Milli had to endure as an exile journalist.
Video 02:04
The exile of journalists from Azerbaijan to make Meydan TV in Berlin
Journalism is in demand, not Propaganda
The website MeydanTV is blocked in Azerbaijan by the government, but this lock you know in the country to bypass the Caucasus. Milli speaks of more than a Million users in its old home. This is what makes the Meydan (square) is one of the most successful exile media, the reports from Germany. The platform is so popular, because it involves the User: Many Azerbaijanis send the editors their self-made Videos in which they talk about their problems with the policy.
Meydan released edited these Clips in a journalistic style. All the videos are made according to Western standards, is professional, and the suspicion of Propaganda occurring in the first place. “Sometimes,” says Emin Milli, not without Pride, “it can even happen that the local politicians to improve the Situation of the local people, after we have reported about it.”
Many offers of help in Germany
Several Hundred exiled journalists live and work according to reporters without borders in Germany and there are more every year. The exact number is not recorded. Most of the ambition, to continue to report on their home drives, preferably in their native language. This is not easy, if you just arrived in the German exile.
But a whole range of organisations in making a fresh start. Reporters without borders, for example, support in the asylum procedure shall, in the case of English courses, organized accommodations, advises the colleagues in the media and networked with other exile journalists.
Pen Germany will be awarded – up to three-year fellowships for writers and journalists. The German journalists Association DJV offers special Workshops for exiled journalists, awards, German Press credentials, and supports projects such as the Arabic – and Persian-language program Amal Berlin. The Körber Foundation has supported various projects with exiled journalists in addition to with money. And with the Exile Media Forum a successful conference in which many networks were linked to the German media managed in the last year.
Anne renzenbrink from reporters without borders: the worst possible conditions for the freedom of the press in Turkey, Russia, Vietnam and Azerbaijan.
Only a few German media to offer Jobs
However, most of the German Newspapers and broadcasters are not very generous when it comes to internships, volunteerism, or even the employment of exiled journalists. Notable exceptions: The daily newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt has hired three colleagues from Syria, Iran, and Afghanistan, the North German broadcasting (NDR) has languages a exile-volunteer and Deutsche Welle, several dozen exiled journalists, especially in their foreign editors Russian, Farsi, Dari/Pashto, and Arabic.
The German international broadcaster, you know the language and to appreciate knowledge of the country colleagues for many years. The exile colleagues, the Deputy editor-in-chief Ingo man devil, “declared a high level of credibility with viewers, Internet users and listeners of the DW”.
Fundraising in Scandinavia and the USA
Nevertheless, says Emin Milli, it is hard to find in Germany, patrons, permanently money for exile media. Therefore, he spends a large part of his time with Fundraising in foreign countries, especially in Northern Europe and the USA. After all, a total of 25 employees of MeydanTV must be paid.
It is worthwhile to endure all the Stress, the threats, and the permanent separation from family, friends and colleagues? A clear “Yes” to that of Emin Milli. In a country without real democracy and a free press, just-in-exile media should criticize the government. “I was taking a lot of small progress in Azerbaijan, and I believe that through our work,” he says. “One day we will see the results. It takes, unfortunately, in Azerbaijan, a little longer than in other countries.”
