Azernews.Az

BAKU – The OSCE Office in Baku and Azerbaijan’s press watchdog introduced a revised code of journalists’ ethics on Monday.

The revised document, presented during a joint conference on "Safeguarding Freedom of Expression through Media Self-Regulation", aims to improve journalistic practice and promote professional ethical standards in everyday work. In particular, it builds on the Press Council's earlier Code to further clarify ethical practices in information collection and disclosure, crime reporting and presumption of innocence, and editorial independence and journalists' rights.

"Codes of ethics adopted by press councils across the OSCE area have proven to be critical tools of self-regulation for the press, through which media can increase their professionalism and preserve editorial independence," Bilge Cankorel, the head of the OSCE Office in Baku, said in his opening speech.

"It is our hope that this revision of the Code of Ethics and the Press Council's renewed commitment to these standards will create opportunity and momentum for the de-criminalization of insult, libel and defamation in Azerbaijan."

The OSCE Office in Baku and the Press Council previously organized two roundtable discussions to improve ethical standards in journalism. These events brought together major media stakeholders, including heads of information agencies, leading publishers and top media managers, who co-operated on revising the code of ethics.

Aflatun Amashov, the chairman of the Press Council, said the revised Code "will help journalists focus on their own responsibilities, and will help develop the journalistic culture in the country."

Vugar Aliyev, the Presidential Administration official dealing with the media, said that self-regulation of the media should serve not only as a tool to develop freedom of expression but also imply advances in journalistic ethics.

Aliyev said Azerbaijani authorities plan to undertake a number of measures in the area of media self-regulation.

Representatives of the parliament and civil society also participated in the conference. Two international experts - Ognian Zlatev, a media expert from Bulgaria, and Martin Fitzpatrick, board member of the Irish Press Council - discussed their countries' respective experiences with ethical codes and media self-regulation, in particular the influence of the codes on the decriminalization of libel.

Zlatev said the new regulations were crucial for democratic development in Azerbaijan.

Comparing the code of Azerbaijani journalists and that of the BBC, he said the new document is very short and general, and does not cite a number of details.

Head of the OSCE office Cankorel voiced hope that the Azerbaijani parliament will begin discussions on the libel law after the November parliamentary elections. He told reporters that continuous discussions were underway on the issue with the country’s officials.

Press Council chairman Amashov said the council supports the initiatives being put forward jointly with the OSCE Office in Baku on adopting the Law on Defamation.

Presidential Administration official Aliyev noted that the law on defamation has not been separated from criminal law to date in such developed European countries as Germany and Norway.

"Such a law has not been adopted in these countries so far. Therefore, the interests of the country and the public should be taken into account while passing the law."