STATEMENT BY JUSTICE MINISTRY OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN
One of the key duties of the media organs is to spread information and opinions on the issues of political and public interest. Freedom of speech, however, should not abuse by insulting reputation, honor and dignity of others.
Unfortunately, some mass media organs and their patrons abusing the created conditions for their political ambitions, demonstrate open disregard for the democratic principles and requirements of legislation fixed by the Constitutions of the Republic of Azerbaijan, try to confuse the people by libel, defamation and biased publications in the press, violate the socio-political stability highly evaluated by the people of Azerbaijan and world community, that established with great efforts, their actions cause confrontation and insult honor and dignity of the head of state.
Such libelous and false publications have acquired insidious forms on the eve of Presidential elections in the Country. Some media organs, in particular, ‘Yeni Musavat’, ‘Hurriyyet’, ‘Azadlig’, ‘Jumhuriyyet’ newspapers, using inadmissible methods on the eve of election campaign, violate the requirements of the Election Code related to the head of the state Mr. Heydar Aliyev who was nominated as a candidate to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, publish materials contradicting elementary ethic norms, national customs and traditions, and our moral values.
Such publications arouse public indignity and cause deep infuriation and the people insistently urge to prevent them.
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan states that rumors insulting honor and dignity of the citizens, publishing false and biased publications, slander, or using mass media to admit such kind of other illegal commitments contradicts requirements of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan ‘On mass media’ and is inadmissible. According to the Article 72 of Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic, every man must follow the Constitution and laws of the Azerbaijan Republic, and respect the rights and freedoms of others.
Under the Article 106 of Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan embodies the unity of the Azerbaijan people, is the Supreme Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, and enjoys indefeasible right, his honor and dignity is guaranteed by law. According to the Article 323 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, insult and defamation of the honor and dignity of the head of state in the public or mass media, is a subject to criminal responsibility.
In this regard, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan calls on the media organs to refrain from such actions by publishing such materials that damage the constitutional basis and national statehood of Azerbaijan, and cause slanderous and outrageous campaign against the President of Azerbaijan Republic arousing confrontation in the Country, respect the Constitution and laws of Azerbaijan Republic.
Implementing its obligation for defense of the honor and dignity of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Justice states that insult of honor and dignity of the head of state, commitments arousing slander and sully may end in the undertakings stipulated by the law.
Ministry of Justice of the
Republic of Azerbaijan
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