Minimum Conditions for Freedom of the Media

The Azerbaijani national press is marking its 151st anniversary at a time when humanity is entering a new information age—the era of artificial intelligence. Technology is no longer merely accelerating the distribution of news. It is transforming...

The rapid spread of the internet and social media has changed the nature of public communication in Azerbaijan. News, political discussions, commercial activity, social initiatives, and cultural exchange are increasingly moving to digital platforms....

Azerbaijan is entering another phase of institutional restructuring of its media sector. On June 16, during a meeting of the Human Rights Committee of the Milli Majlis, a package of amendments to the Law on Media was introduced the merger of two key regulatory bodies — the Media Development Agency and the Audiovisual Council — into a single state institution.

Every year on May 3, the world marks World Press Freedom Day — a date meant to remind us of the value of independent journalism. But in 2026, this day increasingly sounds less like a celebration and more like a diagnosis.