NGOs and media outlets have issued statements denouncing the changes and appealed to the president to withdraw them.
(IRFS/IFEX) – On 12 February 2010, amendments to the laws on mass media, freedom of information, operation and investigation activities, intelligence and counterintelligence activities and obtaining information were adopted at the meeting of the Milli Majlis (Parliament), according to the Azeri-Press Agency (APA).
During the discussions, MPs Panah Huseyn and Igbal Agazade said that the proposed amendments would strangle freedom of press.
Huseyn said he will appeal to court regarding this law. The first deputy chief of Parliament, Ziyafat Asgerov, and MPs Gudrat Hasanguliyev and Bakhtiyar Sadigov said the amendments have considerable significance. The amendments were adopted after debate, with seven people voting against them.
On 21 December 2009, President Ilham Aliyev sent a legislative proposal to the Milli Mejlis (Parliament) regarding amendments to laws on mass media, freedom of information, operation and investigation activities, intelligence and counterintelligence activities and obtaining information. The following amendment was proposed:
Except in operation and investigation cases, following someone and subjecting them to video, photo or voice recording by media representatives without them knowing it or with them objecting to it will be punishable as defined by law.
Representatives of NGOs and media outlets operating in Azerbaijan issued statements denouncing this negative and anti-democratic draft law and sent an appeal to the president to withdraw it.
