Internet radio and television will not be licensed in Azerbaijan, Presidential Administration Social and Political Department head Ali Hasanov said at a conference on “New Media Era Values” in Baku today. Mr Hasanov refuted rumours spread in local media and international organizations that licensing would be provided for Internet radio and television.Former OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti expressed concern about the rumours. Such intentions may create grave problems for the development of Internet resources in Azerbaijan in the future, he said. Mr Hasanov said the rumours of licensing e-media are untrue.
“We do not have and would never have such plans,” Mr Hasanov said, adding that the accusations against the authorities are unfounded. He also disagreed with the assertion that there is no freedom of speech or press in Azerbaijan. “The fact that Azerbaijan ranks 145th among 160 countries in the Index of Freedom of Speech is a piece fiction, and this is untrue,” Mr Hasanov said.
(Source: Trend News Agency/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)