The newly drafted Code of Administrative Offences stipulates new sanctions for failure to respond to journalists’ inquiries, according to the Milli Majlis (Parliament).
Article 382.1 of the new Code of Administrative Offences reads that failure to respond to a journalist’s inquiry within the period prescribed by law entails a fine of 200 to 300 manat. Article 382.2 follows that a fine of 300 to 500 manat is stipulated for putting restrictions on the provision of information to the journalist or refusing to provide information, except for the information protected by law.
According to Article 186.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences currently in effect, failure to respond to a journalist’s inquiry within a period established by the legislation is punishable by a fine of 40 to 70 manat. According to Article 186.2, putting restrictions on the provision of information to the journalist or refusing to provide information, except for the information protected by the legislation, is punishable by a fine of 60 to 90 manat.
This means that the penalties have been increased by two to three times.
Note that the new bill of the Code of Administrative Offences has been introduced by the President of Azerbaijan and has been recommended for the plenary session of the Parliament. It will be put up for discussion on December 29. Once adopted, the Code will enter into force on May 1, 2016.