BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 2. Baku hosts the opening ceremony of the 2nd Forum on “Public Processes in Media Context”, Trend reports.
According to information, the forum was organized by the Media Development Agency.
The forum is attended by deputies, heads of press services of state bodies, heads of media bodies, journalists, and other officials.
The aim of the event is to increase the educational function of media and their active role in shaping public opinion, transfer sensitive information to the society in accordance with certain principles, as well as to improve coordination between media, state bodies and other parties.
Addressing the audience, Ahmad Ismayilov, Chairman of the Media Development Agency, noted that for the second year already, our Forum, designed to discuss topical and important issues on the media agenda of our country, has been functioning as an effective platform that forms a dialogue between the state and the media.
He noted that the goal of the Media Development Agency in creating the “Public Processes in the Media” platform, which emerged as a social order of the society, is to promote the formation of healthy relations between media entities responsible for the professional preparation and transmission of information, and government agencies that perform the function of a reliable source of information, as well as to further increase the level of professionalism in the preparation of content of a public and political nature.
“We would like to recall that the Forum we organized last year was assessed by both government bodies and the media community as an important achievement in shaping the media agenda, especially in more professional coverage of topics of public interest,” Ismayilov said.
Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsperson) of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva emphasized that Media plays an important role in legal enlightenment of society, in prompt and objective delivery of information about ongoing processes to the general public, thus shaping public opinion.
She noted that the media also acts as an effective tool of public control.
“Today's event is of great importance in terms of analyzing the reflection of public events in media, influence of media platforms on public opinion, promotion of professional approaches, discussion of media's impact on human rights, as well as assessment of prospects for cooperation between institutions,” she said.
According to Aliyeva, one of the main principles of establishing a state based on the rule of law is the existence of independent media, freedom of thought, speech and press.
“The formation of freedom of speech and thought, as well as the press based on democratic principles in independent Azerbaijan, is connected with the name of national leader Heydar Aliyev. It was on his initiative, with the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, one of the most important events in the history of our independence, that a fundamental basis for the realization of human rights and freedoms, including freedom of thought and speech, freedom of information was created in the country, and censorship was banned.
Legal and institutional reforms continued by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, have improved the current situation in Azerbaijan in the field of freedom of thought, speech, and the press to a level comparable to developed democratic countries.
The establishment of the Media Development Agency, adoption of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Media”, introduction of several tax benefits and exemptions for media entities, as well as other reforms, are vivid examples of this,” the Ombudsperson concluded.
In turn, the head of the Human Rights and Analytics Department of the Constitutional Court, Anar Jafarov, said that most decisions of the Constitutional Court concern social security and pensions.
He noted that as a result of the referendum held in 2002, citizens were given the right to file complaints and appeals to the Constitutional Court.
According to him, 150-160 decisions were made based on the complaints received from citizens.
“We have also adopted several decisions related to pensions. Various topics were raised on this issue. Most of the decisions were related to social protection. This issue has always been on the media agenda,” he added.
Will be updated
