Azerbaijan Policies Affecting Disinformation
Legislation
In March 2020 signed the laws Nos. 27-VIQD and 30-VIQD into effect. Law No. 30-VIQD amended the law on information which allows the government to prosecute online media owners for publishing false information.[1] The law specifically criminalizes: "[f]alse information [yalan məlumatlar] that might cause threats to harm human life and health, significant property damage, mass violation of public safety, disruption of life support facilities, financial, transport, communications, industrial, energy and social infrastructure facilities or other socially dangerous consequences.”[2]
Law No. 27-VIQD made it so that users of telecommunications networks who post "false information" through fines between 500 and 1000 manats for an individual and 1000 to 1500 manats for an official.[3] The implementation of these laws further restrict free speech within Azerbaijan, with the government able to silence journalists and critics as providing false information.
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