Tweet
Azerbaijan criminalizes free speech online ahead of presidential vote
- Amnesty International
May 16, 2013 | 12:29
The Azerbaijani authorities must not use the upcoming presidential
election as a pretext to silence critical voices and meaningful
debate, Amnesty International said following a move to extend criminal
defamation laws to the internet.
On 14 May, the Azerbaijani Parliament approved an amendment to the
country's defamation law to impose hefty fines and prison sentences
for anyone convicted of online slander or insults. The new
legislation constitutes a further attack of freedom of expression in
Azerbaijan.
This is just the latest in ever-more restrictive measures ` including
actions to muzzle mainstream media outlets and the introduction of
harsher punishment for peaceful protesters ` ahead of October's
election.
`The Azerbaijani authorities' fear of critical voices has already led
them to attempt to keep peaceful protesters off the streets and to
muzzle the mainstream media. This new law aims to shut down one of the
few last resorts of legitimate protest ` the internet,' said David
Diaz-Jogeix, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Europe and
Central Asia Programme.
Earlier the new law was criticized by OSCE Representative on Freedom
of the Media Dunja MijatoviÄ?.
News from Armenia - NEWS.am
- Amnesty International
May 16, 2013 | 12:29
The Azerbaijani authorities must not use the upcoming presidential
election as a pretext to silence critical voices and meaningful
debate, Amnesty International said following a move to extend criminal
defamation laws to the internet.
On 14 May, the Azerbaijani Parliament approved an amendment to the
country's defamation law to impose hefty fines and prison sentences
for anyone convicted of online slander or insults. The new
legislation constitutes a further attack of freedom of expression in
Azerbaijan.
This is just the latest in ever-more restrictive measures ` including
actions to muzzle mainstream media outlets and the introduction of
harsher punishment for peaceful protesters ` ahead of October's
election.
`The Azerbaijani authorities' fear of critical voices has already led
them to attempt to keep peaceful protesters off the streets and to
muzzle the mainstream media. This new law aims to shut down one of the
few last resorts of legitimate protest ` the internet,' said David
Diaz-Jogeix, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Europe and
Central Asia Programme.
Earlier the new law was criticized by OSCE Representative on Freedom
of the Media Dunja MijatoviÄ?.
News from Armenia - NEWS.am