AZG Armenian Daily #191, 07/10/2006

Neighbors

AZERBAIJAN GETS READY FOR ELECTIONS AND PROHIBITS DOESN’T ALLOW TO
BROADCAST BBC, LIBERTY AND VOICE OF AMERICA RADIO STATIONS

Azerbaijan is likely to prohibit broadcasting BBC, RFE/RL and Voice of
America radio stations in its territory. Turan agency informed that
the representatives of Azeri ANS TV, Anten TV and the Azeri State
Radio were invited to the Azeri Public TV and Radio Council. There
they where were warned that the broadcasting of BBC and Voice of
America is illegal and they need to have a special license for
that. Though the experts stated that the Azeri legislation doesn’t
prohibit re-broadcasting, generally, this approach is characterized
as illogical, and these media representatives may be punished.

Perhaps, the only logical point in all this is that any freethinking
and independent mass media is prohibited in the information field of
Azerbaijan. This approach may be conditioned by the coming elections.

By Aghavni Harutyunian