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Public discussion held at Press Council

11 June 2026 18:43 (UTC +04:00)

A public discussion was held at the Press Council today, APA reports.

At the initiative of the Press Council, a public discussion was held on the draft law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan ‘On Information, Informatization and Protection of Information’ and ‘On Protection of Children from Harmful Information’.”

Chairman of the Press Council Rashad Majid stated that the legislative initiatives in question primarily contribute to enriching Azerbaijan’s legal framework.

According to him, the issue envisages expanding responsibility mechanisms within society, which is a positive development.

“Because there is a noticeable tendency to perceive the virtual space as an environment of impunity and, at times, even arbitrariness. The existing trend and the actions and behavior stemming from it pose a threat to information security and also create a number of moral problems. Experience shows that such problems have the potential to generate tensions,” he said.

Speaking at the meeting, member of the Press Council Board and Chairman of the Council’s Social Media Relations Commission Hajibay Heydarli said that the issue of unethical actions and behavior on social media platforms is being widely discussed in society.

Member of the Press Council Board and Director of the Technote company Farid Pardashunas stated that combating undesirable situations on social media is a matter of concern worldwide.

“It should not be understood that this is about any kind of total ban. The main issue is the possibility of legally disputing a problematic situation if it arises. The amendments to the legislation are guided precisely by this principle. Because without such a possibility for dispute, violations of rights may become normalized. Such a situation creates an additional burden of tension for society. The state’s duty is to prevent the emergence of such undesirable situations or to stop them immediately. Therefore, having an appropriate mechanism is essential,” he said.

The speakers at the meeting emphasized that social media platforms have penetrated public life not virtually but in a real sense, and justified the importance of reflecting the current situation in legislation as well. In this regard, they highly appreciated the significance of the draft law “On Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan ‘On Information, Informatization and Protection of Information’ and ‘On Protection of Children from Harmful Information’.”

At the same time, the speakers expressed confidence that the draft would contribute to strengthening the sense of responsibility. They also drew attention to the need for educational measures, as well as legal and institutional steps, to regulate certain other issues related to social networks, citing specific examples.

Gunay Elshan

Press Council Rashad Majid Hajibay Heydarli Farid Pardashunas social media public discussion legislation Administrative Offences Code information security children protection harmful information social networks legal amendments Azerbaijan Technote information law media regulation digital safety