Azerbaijan’s parliament has adopted a new media law preventing journalists from publishing information from unofficial sources, rights groups as well as limiting their rights. 

The law was passed despite mounting criticism from local journalists and protests in the city. The legislation is set to be signed by President Ilham Aliyev and become effective as of January 1, 2022. 

The Eurasian country is ranked ‘Not Free’, according to a Freedom House, ranking 79 out of 100 in the body’s annual Freedom of the Press survey. Azerbaijani authorities use a range of measures to restrict the freedom of the media within the country.

On Thursday, the parliament approved the third and final reading of the bill amending the media law. The bill sets out the creation of a register of journalists and a single press card. Only journalists bearing this card and whose media organisations have been registered by the authorities will be officially recognised as such.

Journalists not on the database are liable to find their activities restricted, including their access to official sources, who will be able to ignore their questions.

The government will also be empowered to have a list of the personal details of all registered journalists and their media outlets, this includes their addresses and details of their bank accounts and work contracts. 

The decision has garnered backlash from media rights groups such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) which has urged authorities to reconsider the bill’s changes to the country’s media law, which violates its constitution and the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The law “violates article 50 of the Azerbaijani constitution, on freedom of information, and article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), on freedom of expression,” Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSF’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, said.

The government first introduced the idea of the new law in January 2021 following a presidential decree on “deepening media reforms in the Republic of Azerbaijan.” The decree also calls for the creation of a new media agency, the Media Development Agency (MEDIA), to replace the existing government institution, the State Support Fund for Mass Media Development.