RSF, Paris, 06 Aug 2008 – Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Menard and the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS)’s director, Emin Huseynov, have received a reply to the letter they wrote to Azerbaijani minister of communications and information technology Ali Abbasov on 29 July voicing concern about the creation of a new government agency to regulate the Internet.
The minister’s reply confirms that the creation of a National Centre for Electronic Security (CERT) “is being studied” and he insists that its legal basis will be “in accordance with article 7.3.4 of the Activity Plan of the Electronic Azerbaijan State Programme” and with the European Council’s “Convention on Cyber-crime,” which Azerbaijan has signed.
He acknowledges that “as part of urgent measures to provide electronic security,” information will be gathered about “unexpected, accidental and intentional interference in the national Internet space and existing information systems.”
But he adds that “recommendations will be prepared to prevent any disturbances that could arise, our assistance will be offered, and the population, as well as state and other organizations, will be informed about these things” and that the centre “will not have the authority to cease the activities of people and/or institutions that participate in causing computer dangers, to close resources, to block email addresses, etc”.
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