Is registration with the Media Registry required?

Baku/20.10.22/Turan: On October 14, the registration of the Media Registry began. According to Saida Shafiyeva, head of the communications department (press secretary) of the communication and information technology department of the MDA (Media Development Agency), journalists who are not registered in the register will be able to work as before and receive answers by sending requests to any state institution.

However, the reality is quite different and the requirements for media are quite strict. Jahangir Hasanli, head of the MDA Media Registry Service, said that according to Articles 62.2 and 62.3 of the Media Law, print and online media must contact the MDA 7 days before the start of work in order to receive a “proper response in accordance with the law.” According to Article 78.3, media that were active prior to the entry into force of this Law must apply to the USAID within six months from the day the Media Registry was launched. “Thus, active media have six months,” Hasanli said.

But if a media outlet refuses to register or is denied registration, what are the consequences? Answering a question from Turan, Shafiyeva said that according to the media law, the legality of media entities that have not submitted an application for registration in the register within 6 months will be considered in court.

Khalid Agaliyev, the head of the media rights group, commented on this conflict in the “Difficult Question” program.

According to him, if we trace the statements of the MDA structures regarding the media, we will see that over the past week or ten days, they have made a number of statements that do not complement each other, inconsistent statements.

“So, one representative of the MDA speaks about the unhindered work of media that are not registered in the Registry. And the other says that the media that did not apply for registration to the Media Registry will be brought to court,” the expert noted.

In his opinion, this indicates that there is no consensus in this structure on how the Law will be applied in relation to journalists and the media.

“And there is nothing surprising in this. The law “On Media” is so confusing as it is reactionary that it is extremely difficult to come to any clear conclusion on its basis when interpreting it,” Agaliyev explained.

“It is to be hoped that in the end a clear interpretation of the articles of this Law will be given, and at the same time, priority will be given to facilitating and improving the work of the media,” he says.—0—