​​Defamation on the Internet expand area of

The Milli Majlis adopted today reactionary amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offences of Azerbaijan. In particular, the amendments were made to the Articles 147 and 148 of the Criminal Code, and now criminal penalties for libel and insult envisaged for the media, and applied to Internet.      

For slander and insult on the Interne will be imprisonment up to six months, and for defamation in committing serious crimes - up to three years. According to the amendments to the Administrative Code, the term of administrative arrests was also increased. Thus, the maximum sentence for organizing illegal actions raised from 15 to 60 days, and for disobeying police from 15 to 30 days.

The term of administrative arrest for petty theft   is extended from 15 days to one month, for driving without a license, for driving drunk, which caused health injuries.

The term of arrest will be from 5-10 days to 15-30 days increased for auto hooliganism, and if this resulted in a slight accident with damage health, the period of detention may reach 30-60 days.

For disobeying the requirements of bailiffs the arrest term is extended from 10 days to one month.

The initiator of the amendments is the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan. 

It should be noted that the OSCE, the Council of Europe and other international organizations have long called Baku to decriminalize for defamation, but the Azerbaijani authorities only toughen punishment.-06D-