Azerbaijan, Baku, May 24 /Trend, T.Hajiyev/
The Law on Defamation may be presented for discussion at the autumn session of the Azerbaijani Parliament, the chairman of the Press Council Aflatun Amashov told reporters Tuesday.
The Press Council chairman said that the law has been submitted to the appropriate authorities and can be discussed at the autumn session of the Parliament.
Amashov said the bill was prepared after the improvement of rules of professional ethics of journalists, and after supporting initiatives relating to defamation.
The draft law was prepared in 2005 with the support of OSCE Office in Baku. According to international organizations, articles 147 and 148, envisaging criminal responsibility for libel and insult, should be excluded from the Criminal Code.
In connection with the adoption of the draft law on defamation, six media organizations -Association of Azerbaijani Journalists, Najaf Najafov Foundation, Center for Journalism and Development, Association of Journalists "Yeni Nesil" (New Generation), Azerbaijani Media Center and Democratic Journalists League - have appealed to Parliament.