BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 12. A practical seminar "Role and responsibilities of media in the presidential election" organized jointly by the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (MEDIA) was held today, Trend reports.
Representatives of 20 media structures participated in the event, organized to raise awareness of media representatives and further improve the efficiency of their activities in the extraordinary presidential election, along with representatives of the CEC and Azerbaijan Media Development Agency.
Head of Azerbaijan Media Development Agency Natig Mammadli emphasized the importance of proper and reliable communication of information about the electoral process to the public, pointing out that media subjects play a big role in this responsible activity. He noted that the seminar on the exchange of information with media representatives and the organization of professional activities of media will be a valuable experience for journalists.
CEC member Ilkin Shahbazov touched upon the theoretical aspects and possibilities of realization of the electoral rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan as one of the basic human rights and freedoms. He emphasized that the Electoral Code defines the roles and responsibilities of election subjects of different statuses in the process of preparation and conduct of election for more effective provision of electoral rights of citizens.
Media subjects should follow the requirements of the electoral legislation strictly, whether in establishing publicity and transparency in the electoral process or at the stage of pre-election campaigning and in carrying out their professional activities on election day. A press group operating under the CEC, consisting mainly of journalists, monitors compliance with the rules of election campaigning in the media, as established by the Electoral Code.
Afterward, Shahin Asadli, head of the CEC's media and public relations department, gave a presentation on the media coverage of the election, the procedural conditions stipulated by law for campaigning, which is one of the most important stages, the subjects entitled to the campaign, and the procedures on election day.
Asadli noted that candidates registered to participate in the presidential election, their authorized representatives, as well as authorized representatives of political parties, whose candidate has been registered, have the right to freely carry out election campaign, independently determining its forms and methods, that are not prohibited by legislation.
In addition, Asadli also provided detailed information on election day procedures in the format of a practical session. He brought the legislative bases of implementation and regulation of the procedure of opening the polling station, acts of voting, exceptional cases on election day, and other similar procedures to the participants' attention.
Questions from journalists were answered at the end of the seminar.
On December 7, 2023, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on holding an extraordinary presidential election on February 7, 2024.
The Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan (CEC) on Dec. 19 approved the candidacy of Ilham Aliyev, nominated by the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), for participation in the extraordinary presidential election.
A total of 17 candidates have been registered to run in the extraordinary presidential election. Azerbaijan has seven registered presidential candidates.
Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
