Stricter Rules for Accreditation of Foreign Media in Azerbaijan

On March 18 the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry approved the "Rules of accreditation of representatives of foreign mass media in Azerbaijan" and on 4 April this year they entered into force.

The rules are related to the correspondents of foreign media and operators working in Azerbaijan. The rules allow limitations to the media of countries that have imposed restrictions for operating of the Azerbaijani media on their territory.

For the accreditation of foreign media the following documents are required:

- Letter from the leadership of the foreign media to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan;

- Application Form from the media;

- Color photo 3x4 cm in duplicate;

- Copy of the passport (if the employee of the foreign media is an Azerbaijani citizen, a copy of his identity card);

- A copy of the business card;

- Autobiography.

The application for accreditation of representatives of foreign mass media shall be considered within 30 days. In the case of a positive decision, he gets an accreditation card for one year.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may refuse to obtain accreditation in the following cases:

- If the submitted documents do not comply with the rules;

- If false information was provided;

- If the media representatives visited the occupied territories of Azerbaijan via Armenia, without the permission of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry;

- If the activity of the representative of foreign media directed against the territorial integrity, sovereignty, interests and independence of Azerbaijan is revealed. -03D04-