Ilham Aliyev: We have Free Internet

President Ilham Aliyev has sent a message of greetings to the participants of the VII Internet Governance Forum held in Baku and organized by the UN and the Government of Azerbaijan.

"Today, the Internet is not only a space sharing information, but also an environment, covering government, education, health, business, banking and other sectors, creating new value," says the statement.

Protection of human freedoms is one of the important activities of a modern Internet-based network. "The development of online media, the freedom of opinion and expression on the Internet, the expansion of social networks to ensure an open and transparent government, the involvement of citizens in governance processes and the new opportunities offered by a global network of people,".

Aliyev said that Azerbaijan pays special attention to the development of information and communication technologies and the Internet. Approximately 65% ??of the population use the Internet and the country already uses the latest technology - 4G.

According to Aliyev, Azerbaijan has freedom of the Internet. There are widespread Internet Radio and Internet TV programs, electronic newspapers and magazines, foreign and internal social network. Thousands of bloggers engaged in free activities in the online environment of Azerbaijan, the statement says.

Finally, Aliyev expressed support for any well-intentioned online activities aimed at establishing friendly relations between people and nations and to build an equal relationship based on mutual respect.

Note that before the forum a number of international human rights organizations have criticized the situation in Azerbaijan in the field of freedom of expression online. International organizations believe that the Internet in Azerbaijan is partially free - despite the lack of practice in filter blocking sites, there is evidence of harassment of individual Internet dissidents. -06D-