After notorious “Glavlit”, engaging in censorship has suspended it activity, some means of a seal have regarded a freedom of speech as freedom «to speak that has got» and have begun to put forward frequently not checked up, unreasonable and slanderous charges to address of separate citizens, government officials, authorities, involving itself thus in uncountable proceedings. In result many newspapers have appeared at court for slander and have incurred corresponding punishments. Probably, the domestic press should pass through this process to estimate the responsibility for each told word, to understand essence of a principle of a freedom of speech for itself. But it is necessary to admit, that today a number of materials published in press do not correspond to this principle. Yes, censorship is not present, but there is a law «About the state secret», positions of the legislation on slander, abusing of the rights of the journalist, rules of distribution of statistical secrets and a number of other positions, which infringement entails administrative and criminal punishments.
Today the mass-media possess all rights and opportunities to freely to write, show, criticize, in a word openly to express own opinion without intervention of working authority. The law «about mass-media» accepted by Milli Meclis and H.Aliev signed in 1999 year confirms the aforesaid. According to this document, ample opportunities for realization of the abilities and expansions of activity are given to the mass-media. Protecting rights of journalists, at the same time the law provides the responsibility for excess of powers and uses of a seal in the mercenary purposes. The law is the law and it is necessary to be considered with him.
It is necessary to note, that all conditions for formation of the institutes inherent in a democratic society are created in Azerbaijan. Publications are considered as the important attribute of democracy and publicity and it is important to note, that the state makes much for their free activity. In the country hundreds newspapers are issued, work tens TV-radio and news agencies, many of which belong to separate people and the public organizations worth on different political positions.
Yes, laws and other statutory acts it is accepted not a little, now it is necessary to ask a question-whether all they work? It is necessary to recognize, that many of these laws are under fulfilled up to the end, there are no mechanisms of their realization. We shall take for example even that to our journalists frequently have to face such problem as confirmation or a refutation the government official of that information which they own. The state workers put restriction, or at all do not wish to cooperate. Most likely, they are not familiar with 59-th article of the law «About mass-media». We shall note, that above-stated article provides the responsibility for «not representation of the answer to journalistic inquiry in time, established by the legislation of the Azerbaijan Republic». Thereof, journalists are frequently compelled through the TV screen or the newspaper to remind officials of the rights and duties. And in 46-th article of the law it is spoken, that the right «is given to journalists to search, collect … to make the information and to distribute it… except for secrets protected by the law, to get acquainted with documents and materials, to remove from them copies». By the law all information interesting them, accepting the confidential materials, protected. Probably, in the circumstances not the smaller fault lays and on journalists who frequently abuse the position and under the name «an authentic source» distribute the incorrect information thus, losing the authority in particular and dropping authority of mass-media on the whole. Journalists also should remember 10-th article of the law «mass-media», forbidding «publishing under the name of reliable source the materials discrediting honor and advantage of citizens, hearings, false and deliberate materials, pornographic materials, or other actions contradicting to the law».
So, in Azerbaijan enough laws, protecting a freedom of speech and seals are accepted. It is necessary to follow only to these laws to satisfy interests of all parties interested in development and becoming of a democratic society in the country.

Lala Gafarli