Ali Hasanov: "Defamation bill will criminalize Azerbaijan community"

Maurizio Pavessi, the head of OSCE Baku office, Miklos Haraszti, OSCE media Freedom representative, Ali Hasanov, the President's office Sociopolitical Department chief, parliamentarians and journalists took part in the meeting.

Pavessi said that there are rules for preventing the influence of politics and commerce on media in OSCE member-states. "Journalists must be defended from different attacks. But it does not mean that they can do everything they want. The problem is more visible in Azerbaijan and it depends of the number of the journalists."

Hasanov said that Defamation bill is being discussed in European countries. "The bill should be adopted in those countries where the journalists realize their rights and responsibility. Azerbaijan is not ready for this. Some media representatives are unaware of the Press Council's moral codex," he said.

Then Miklos Haraszti asked some questions to Hasanov to learn the final decision of the government. "We do not say that the journalists will remain unpunished. We offer not to hold journalists in the same ward with other criminals," he said.

Haraszti also said that European Court overrules the decisions on journalists' arrest made by Azerbaijan Courts.

Denis Bribosia, COE General Secretary Representative to Azerbaijan said that courts do make an arrest decision for journalists in most of European countries. "The courts are careful in this matter though the legislation allows them to make such a decision," he said. APA