Freedom of the media as a "mirror" of "democracy" in the two South Caucasian states of Armenia and Azerbaijan

Abstract

The main purpose of the thesis is to analyze the main problems of the enjoyment of the freedom of the media in Armenia and Azerbaijan, in order to discuss the honouring of commitments of these countries to the Council of Europe and the paradigm of democracy in these two South Caucasian countries. Part one of the thesis prescribes the development of media and media-related legislation in Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this part, the author provides for characteristic features of the Soviet media policy, characterizes the main stages of media development in Armenia and Azerbaijan, analyzes their present–day legal, media-related international obligations and domestic media legislations. In Part two of the thesis, Towards the Europe, European standards of the freedom of media in Armenia and Azerbaijan, the author characterizes the European freedom of the media standards and analyses the compatibly of the freedom of media standards in Armenia and Azerbaijan with the European standards of freedom of the media. A comparative analysis is conduced in accordance with the following structure: constitutional regulations, general legislations on mass media, broadcasting regulation, freedom of information, liability for offences and slander.