Açiq mənbələrdən foto.
Baku/23.12.21/Turan: Eight political parties of Azerbaijan have appealed to President Ilham Aliyev and Speaker of Parliament Sahiba Gafarova to suspend adopting a new media law in order to revise it.
The authors of the petition note that the bill contains a number of reactionary provisions, including establishing control over Internet television by licensing broadcast platforms and activities of operators.
Note that the document regulates professional and creative activities of media workers which increases their dependence on the authorities.
Besides, the document defines those engaged in journalism, establishes a register of journalists, introduces a single form of a journalistic certificate.
As a whole, the bill deprives journalism of self-regulation mechanisms concentrating all powers in the hands of the executive branch.
Also, the bill restricts freedom of expression, especially freedom of mass media demanding from journalists to observe professional ethics, impartial and objective presentation of facts and events; prohibits to disseminate information obtained by secret means.
Besides, the bill includes provisions restricting the information policy of political parties and their access to mass media. Thus, Article 26.3 of the draft law prohibits political parties from being founders of media companies (except for print media).
"The adoption of the bill will lead to violation of the Constitution of Azerbaijan and national legislation, as well as international treaties to which Azerbaijan is a party," the authors of the appeal insist.
They call on the Head of State and the Speaker of Parliament to take necessary steps and suspend the new law's adoption by the Parliament. It is essential to submit the document for wide public discussion and improve it with due regard for suggestions and comments.
The appeal was signed by heads of the parties as follows: "Revival", "Citizens and Development", "National Unity of Azerbaijan", "Nationalist Democracy", "Democracy and Prosperity", "Free Democrats", "Law and Justice", "Democratic Changes".—06D-
Politics
-
On 23 November at the COP29 climate conference in Baku, eco-activists from different countries held a protest action against the failure of countries to agree on climate finance.
-
On the eve of the closing of the COP29 climate conference in Baku, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has drawn attention to the criminal cases of journalists detained in Azerbaijan.
-
Negotiations at the 29th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Baku have been extended until November 24, a source in the UNFCCC Secretariat told the Turan news agency. According to the source, participants aim to finalize and sign the concluding documents by that date.
-
According to the Turkish newspaper Sabah, officials from the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office's Anti-Smuggling Unit have detained an Azerbaijani citizen with a large shipment of gold. The detention took place near the Vadi İstanbul shopping center in the Sarıyer district, where a taxi was stopped. During the search, 70 kg of gold was found. The Azerbaijani citizen in the vehicle claimed ownership of the cargo and also stated that he was a diplomat. The investigation by the prosecutor's office is ongoing, reports Sabah newspaper. The media outlet does not disclose the name of the "diplomat," only his initials – M.G.Ş. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declined to comment on the situation.
Leave a review