The freedom of speech record of the majority of CIS countries remains “alarming.” The report of the committee on culture, science and education of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe says it. As reported by “Arminfo” agency, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine are among these countries. The document seven items on end directly refer to Azerbaijan. They say that one of the main commitments of Baku to the Council of Europe is the reforming of the state television into a public one. Nevertheless, according to the law passed by the country parliament in October 2002, the public television leadership will again be appointed by the authorities. Thus, the state head will keep the control over electronic media, the document notes. The report negatively evaluates the August decree issued by Heydar Aliyev on keeping state secrets by mass media. Only after resolute protest expressed by numerous international organizations the state head charged the government to work out a new law on state secret. The report also mentions facts of persecution of independent and opposition newspapers and instituting legal proceedings against them due to publishing articles referring to corruption practices of top statesmen. A separate item in the report expresses unease concerning the atmosphere in Azeri media. In particular, it mentions a program of ANS TV channel ‘close to the authorities’ on the necessity to make orphan children kamikazes. The PACE resolution passed on the basis of the report expresses OSCE disturbance with these problems and suggests the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to demand respect and fulfillment of the commitments to the Council of Europe from the leadership of these countries.
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