Azerbaijan has passed new media law, which is likely to bury any remaining independent media in the country, says Giorgi Gogia, Human Right Watch Associate Director for Europe and Eurasia.
“Azerbaijan passed new media law, which is likely to bury any remaining independent media in the country. It introduces registration requirement for all journalists in order to be able to work. Employment contract, experience & clean criminal record required for registration!” he said in a Twitter post.
“Any blogging or vlogging or other publication or expression of opinion could be interpreted as a violation of the media law, dramatically worsening media freedoms in Azerbaijan,” Gogia said.
According to him, Azerbaijan’s new media law violates international standards on freedom of expression and media. Giorgi Gogia reminds that International human rights law recognizes freedom of expression as a fundamental human right, essential both to the effective functioning of a democratic society and to individual dignity.
