Azerbaijan, Baku, June 15 / Trend E. Mehdiyev /
"Access to Internet is free in Azerbaijan," Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Political Analysis and Information Provision Department Head Elnur Aslanov told media today. "The ICT norms are being regulated after the changes made to the Azerbaijani Criminal Code have been approved. In this sense, the criticism of the representatives of international organizations is biased."
Aslanov was responding to criticism of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton and EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood policy Stefan Füle regarding the bill of the Azerbaijani Parliament, envisaging applying Articles 147 (slander) and 148 (insult) of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code to Internet resources.
"The extremist materials, as well as those contrary to the national-moral values are regulated by the law in all countries," he said. "The Internet covers such a wide area today that it is impossible not to regulate anything or to treat carelessly."
"Why must not one person's insulting by another be penalized? he said. "Why must not be a liability for slander? This means chaos in the Internet area."
"A number of laws and norms on regulating the relations in the Internet and applying the ethical norms have been adopted in Europe and the U.S much earlier. "So, the Internet became a way of life in these countries long ago, while rather recently here. Today, social networks are an integral part of our life. Therefore, the decisions taken in this regard can sometimes be perceived by our society with certain caution. But these decisions are based on the European experience and the experience of developed countries."
"That's why, such a position of the EU representatives is explained by the fact that they do not thoroughly delve into the essence of the decisions taken in Azerbaijan," he stressed.