BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 12. An awareness session on the topic "Media and human rights", jointly organized by the Institute of Law and Human Rights and the Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan, was held for media representatives within the framework of the "Human Rights Month" in Baku today, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
The purpose of the session was to raise awareness of journalists about the requirements of the legislation in force in the field of human rights protection and ethical standards of conduct when carrying out their professional activities.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Law and Human Rights, Mahammad Guluzade, said that media representatives play an important role in promoting human rights and forming public awareness. According to him, the materials published by the institute on various media resources are regularly analyzed, and monitoring is carried out.
Guluzade noted that, according to the results of the monitoring, the number of violations of human rights regulations has decreased compared to previous periods. He said that although certain violations are currently observed on 4-5 sites, at least 15 media resources have eliminated previous shortcomings. According to him, 23 scientific journals publish articles on the topic of law, and materials published in this direction over the past five years have been collected in a special article database.
The head of the institute emphasized that there is a serious need for media support in the work to be done to increase the level of legal education of the population.
Deputy Executive Director of the Media Development Agency, Natig Mammadli, in his speech, said that the media has a great responsibility in the field of human rights protection. He noted that editorial offices are interested in journalists' participation in trainings and round tables on human rights.
Mammadli emphasized that journalists must respect human rights when preparing information, comply with the requirements of professional ethics, and legislation. According to him, the wider application of these principles in media activities can also contribute to the formation of Azerbaijan's international image.
He highlighted the issue of protecting children's rights and said that a more sensitive approach should be demonstrated when publishing information about minors. Mammadli pointed out that in some cases, during the pre-trial investigation stage, the faces of adolescents are shown and their personal information is disclosed to the public, which leads to a violation of rights.
Within the framework of the session, the Institute's trainer-experts made presentations on the most common human rights violations in journalistic activities and their legal consequences. The event provided detailed information on the violation of the presumption of innocence, interference in personal and family life, unauthorized disclosure of personal information, violation of children's rights, spread of materials promoting discrimination and hate speech, the non-compliance with ethical rules when preparing suicide news, as well as the inadmissibility of spreading insulting and defamatory information.
During the event, it was noted that actions causing violations of human rights give rise to legal liability established by legislation, and in this regard, it's important for media representatives to strictly adhere to legal norms and ethical principles in their professional activities.
At the end of the session, the participants' questions were answered, and an exchange of views was held on the role and importance of a sensitive approach to human rights in media activities.
