Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.15/ Trend , A. Huseynbala /
Group of MPs submitted a bill on defamation to the Parliament, Milli Majlis Human Rights Committee head Rabiyat Aslanova told journalists today.
The draft law was prepared in 2005 with the support of OSCE Office in Baku. The working group, who prepared the draft, includes MPs Ganira Pashayeva and Azay Guliyev, representatives of media organizations, as well as lawyers.
According to international organizations, articles 147 and 148, envisaging criminal responsibility for libel and insult, should be excluded from the Criminal Code.
In connection with the adoption of the draft law on defamation, six media organizations -Association of Azerbaijani Journalists, Najaf Najafov Foundation, Center for Journalism and Development, Association of Journalists "Yeni Nesil" (New Generation), Azerbaijani Media Center and Democratic Journalists League - have appealed to Parliament.
According to Aslanova, the draft law is under discussion.
"At the same time we compare this project with a number of legislative acts existing worldwide and think about making putting it forward for discussion to the parliamentary in an improved from," the MP said.
She said that, if it is possible, the draft law will be submitted for discussions to the 3rd convocation of the Parliament.
"Otherwise, the discussion will be postponed until the parliament's next convocation," Aslanova said.
About 4,000 media outlets are registered in Azerbaijan. At the moment, only 600 of them operate. About 400 newspapers and magazines are published. Eight TV channels, 14 regional TV and 13 cable televisions channels operate. There are approximately 50 online media outlets, about 20 news agencies and Internet resources in Azerbaijan.
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