“Reforms in the area of human rights: the prospects of defamation law” was the theme of the roundtable on May 22 at the Park Inn. The discussion was attended by members of the government, MPs, representatives of the media and civil society, and international organizations.
The event was organized by the Council of State Support to NGOs under the President, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Azerbaijan Lawyers Confederation and the American Bar Association.
The discussion was around the reasonability of the adoption of the law on defamation, the latest reactionary amendments to legislation criminalizing libel on the Internet.
Head of Socio-Political Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, Ali Hasanov, said that the amendments are based on the “progressive initiatives.” “The government is committed to ensuring balanced rights of the people. The laws and court decisions must ensure that balance,” said Hasanov.
According to him, the draft law “"On protection from defamation” is being considered together with the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe. “If someone thinks that it is possible to offend, and not bear responsibility, that is wrong. Criminal liability will remain. The law will create more opportunities for the media, and expand the range of media freedom," said Hasanov. Experts believe that the defamation laws should protect freedom of expression, personal dignity and public safety.
Hasanov stressed the inadmissibility of insults and slander on the Internet. “We will not accept the norms that create outrage in society,” said Hasanov.
The head of the parliamentary committee on legal policy Ali Huseynli, the head of the Baku OSCE Office Koray Targay, Director of the Office of Democracy and Governance of the Azerbaijani representation, USAID, Roland Glas, the head of the Press Council Aflatun Amashov and others spoke of the necessity of adoption of the law on protection from defamation.

AzerTAc