Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr E. Huseynli / It is impossible, given the present situation with the press, to lift criminal responsibility for offences to honour and dignity. Among the 60,000 people who have been certified as journalists who behave professionally, there are also dishonourable journalists, the head of the Political Department of the Executive Administration of Azerbaijani President, Ali Hasanov, said on 21 June at the 'Press and Society' conference.
According to Hasanov, it will be possible to lift criminal responsibility for offenses to the honour and dignity of the press only in the case of comprehension of civil responsibility by media representatives.
Hasanov noted that the problem of the press is not in tensions from the outside. "The representatives of the press create the problems by themselves. The press has been extremely politicized. What can a citizen do if he is offended?" he said.
Hasanov added that the Government was working on the projects on improving the material and technical basis of the press in preparation of the Day of the Press (22 June).