Milli Mejlis Legal Policy and State Servitude Commission Chairman Ali Huseynov sees no need for adoption of the law "On Defamation."
Husenyov announced this in a statement to journalists. According to him, there is no need to remove from the Criminal Code articles that delineate imprisonment for insult and libel. "The fact that these have been included in the code is not a negative thing," said Husenyov. "The problem can only be related to application of the law."
Huseynov noted that "Freedom of thought is one of the most important attributes of a democratic society. Journalists can be punished through a variety of punishments for the errors they make; however imprisoning them is not adequate for the crimes they commit."
In the opinion of the commission chairman, articles 147 and 148 of the Criminal Code (libel and insult) are not intended for journalists. However in Azerbaijan journalists are imprisoned through these articles. This must be eliminated through a higher court decision or a presidential decree on pardon."
Huseynov noted that "Freedom of thought is one of the most important attributes of a democratic society. Journalists can be punished through a variety of punishments for the errors they make; however imprisoning them is not adequate for the crimes they commit."
In the opinion of the commission chairman, articles 147 and 148 of the Criminal Code (libel and insult) are not intended for journalists. However in Azerbaijan journalists are imprisoned through these articles. This must be eliminated through a higher court decision or a presidential decree on pardon."