Where is the line between concern for the state interests and censorship?

“Information security as an element of national security”  was the theme of the round table held on 24  July at the International Press Center. The event was organized by the public association to support innovative initiatives in the media.

Project leader Mushvig Aleskerli called on journalists to be responsible and not to disseminate state secrets. Otherwise, they may be prosecuted, he said.  An example of the spread in the media information concerning state secrets Aleskerli called the publication in the media during the exacerbation of the situation in August 2014, information on the redeployment of the national army on the front line in the conflict zone, indicating the types of equipment and driving directions.  "The army  managed to get out of the  situation with honor, suppressing the enemy's attack, unlike the media," said Aleskerli.

He further argued that the information concerning the national army, initially  was spread by the Armenian sites, and then copied by Azeri resources.  Azerbaijani sites began to replicate these provocative messages, even famous sites and agencies of the country  lost vigilance," he said, without noting  specific names.

After the amendments to the legislation journalists  will be subject to the  criminal responsibility in such cases, he concluded.

Project coordinator Ayaz Nizamioglu called "far from professionalism" reports  on the accident in the "Athletes Village" during the European games.

"Spread of the information on accidents with Austrian athletes at “a sensitive moment contributed to international criticism of Azerbaijan,"  he said.

Actually, the organizers called on journalists to self-censorship, and asked them to act as representatives of the authorities. At the same time, nothing  was said about the responsibility of the structures which are  to protect state secrets. It was not explained how  public interests should be protected. Most importantly, there were no answers to the question:  how can  the information about the accident   cause  harm the image of the country? -05C-