Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Some media outlets managed from the outside try to intervene in the election process in Azerbaijan and to campaign for a certain candidate, contrary to the law, deputy chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Natig Mammadov said on October 2.

Speaking at a conference on the activity of mass media in the election process, Mammadov said the Azerbaijani legislation determines the principles and at the same time sets out relevant restrictions for election campaigning. In this regard, the CEC has voiced its protest to Azadlig Radio and a scrutiny is underway, he said.

Azerbaijan is committed to "the principle of enlightenment, not punishment" in dealing with these issues, he said.

Mammadov went on to say that if any foreign media outlet campaigns for a certain candidate, then the candidate himself bears the brunt of responsibility for this.

"If the candidate gets support by means of illegal campaigning, this creates conditions to cancel his registration as a candidate in the presidential elections," Mammadov said.

Mammadov also said media outlets play an important role in holding transparent and fair elections in the country.

All necessary conditions have been created for providing the publicity of the election process, he said.

Speaking at the event, Executive Director of the State Fund for the Support of Mass Media Development under the President of Azerbaijan, Vugar Safarli, said journalists are responsible for observing the elections and reporting reliable information to the public.

Chairman of the Press Council Aflatun Amashov said that the participation of journalists in the elections is a topical issue.

Informing the participants about the work carried out by the Press Council on the eve of the presidential elections, Amashov said that a monitoring group was created for the regulation of police-journalist relations at pre-election demonstrations.

Amashov went on to say that currently the Press Council is conducting monitoring of articles on the presidential elections published in mass media. The main issue of concern is the spread of "black" PR regarding presidential candidates.

According to him, the Press Council will create a hotline on election day for journalists. The Press Council jointly with the CEC has prepared a booklet, "A guide for journalists covering the election process". It was prepared on the basis of items reflected in the Election Code, instructions of the CEC and legislative acts.

The conference, titled "The basis of the activity of mass media representatives in the election process, their rights, obligations and responsibilities", organized by the state fund for the support of mass media, jointly with the CEC, was attended by representatives of leading newspapers, news agencies, TV channels as well as lawyers.

Azerbaijan will hold elections on October 9 to elect its president for the next five-year term. Campaigning for next month's presidential election, which started on September 16, continues with ten candidates.