Azerbaijan passes controversial Internet 'slander' law

Azerbaijan passes controversial Internet 'slander' law

Azerbaijan on Tuesday legalised tighter Internet controls in a move critics worry could be used to curb online dissent in the tightly-managed former Soviet state.

A general view taken on June 8, 2011 of Baku, Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan on Tuesday legalised tighter Internet controls in a move critics worry could be used to curb online dissent in the tightly-managed former Soviet state.

Azerbaijan's largely rubber-stamp parliament voted overwhelmingly to make online "slander" and "abuse" criminal offences, in a move the government argues will allow more effective oversight.

"Amending the criminal law will facilitate the more effective suppression of the distribution of any crimes related to slander and abuse on widely-used Internet resources," ruling party lawmaker Ali Guseinli said.

The country's weakened opposition has argued that the new law, which allows for cases of slander deemed to be particularly serious to be punishable by up to three years in jail, could be used to further clamp down on dissent.

Earlier this month, Stefan Fule, the European Union's Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, expressed concern about proposed moves to curb access to the Internet in the oil-rich nation.

Azerbaijani security forces earlier this year brutally suppressed a spate of demonstrations including one over alleged hazing in the army and arrested scores of protestors.

Opposition activists typically use social media websites to coordinate their activities.

On Tuesday, parliament also agreed to increase the maximum sentence for so-called "administrative" arrests -- under which detained opposition activists have often been held -- to three months from 15 days.

Strongman President Ilham Aliyev came to power in 2003, succeeding his father Heydar, an ex-KGB officer and Communist-era boss.

Aliyev faces presidential polls in October that he looks certain to win.

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