“The law “On Mass Media” includes an article regarding hinder on journalists’ activity. According to that article, journalists cannot be subject to censorship and their activity cannot be hindered”, he said.
Amashov said that such issues are also envisaged in the Criminal Code, and those who hinder journalists’ activity could be fined and subject to administrative penalties.
"If the person is an official and hinders journalists' professional activity s/he could be sentenced to 1 year in prison along with fines. As for the penalties, they were also reflected in the previous legislation. But, now the fines were increased. Period for responding to a journalist's requires was reflected in the law “on access to information”. If the provisions of the law are violated, persons could be punished. Journalists should also be active and know what to do if their requests remain unanswered. All this is covered by the legislation of Azerbaijan,” he said.
Azerbaijan will impose new penalties for refusing to respond to journalists’ requests and imposing restrictions on provision of information to journalists. According to the newly-developed Code of Administrative Offences, those who don’t respond journalists’ requests will be fined AZN 200 up to AZN 300. The second paragraph of the law envisages that those imposing restrictions on the provision of information to journalists, except information protected by law, will face from AZN 300 up to AZN 500. According to current Code, these fines are respectively from AZN 40 up to AZN 70 and from AZN 60 up to AZN 90.
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