There is a need for dialogue between officials and journalists: head of Press Council

"There is a serious need for a dialogue between officials and journalists on certain issues. First, we must determine how our journalists are ready for defamation. I think after that we can come to some agreement in order to submit a bill on defamation for public discussion and adopt it," he said.

The bill on defamation was developed with the support of the OSCE Baku Office in 2005. The working group designing the bill includes MPs Ganira Pashayeva and Azay Guliyev, representatives of journalist organizations and law scientists.

International organizations believe that Article 147 (defamation) and 148 (insult), which proposes criminal liability , should be removed from the country's Criminal Code.

Amashov said it is also planned to hold joint events related to the bill on "Defamation" with other international organizations.

"We will organize discussions in Baku and in regions of the country. Now the issue is one of the priorities of the Council," said the chairman of the Press Council.

/Trend News/