AZERBAIJAN'S COORDINATION COUNCIL CREATES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000352

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EEB, EUR/CARC, EB/CIP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PHUM EINT KPAO AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN'S COORDINATION COUNCIL CREATES
CONTROVERSY OVER ALLEGED INTERNET CENSORSHIP


Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF JOAN POLASCHIK PER 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Ministry of Communications and
Information Technologies (MCIT) Coordination Council has
sparked allegations of censoring information on the internet.
The MCIT's Head of Internet, Services and Development
Department Gulmammadov clarified that the Council serves as
MCIT Minister Abbasov's nine-member advisory body charged
with promoting internet access and usage, and increasing the
rate of local domain rate registration. Gulmammadov
emphasized that the Council does not, will not and cannot
block access to a site or censor the information on it
because it does not/not have the legal authority to change
legislation or take action on any issues. Although some
human rights activists and the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe have alleged that the Council is limiting
access to the internet, this does not appear to be the case.
END SUMMARY.

Purpose: Limiting or Encouraging Internet Use?
-------------- -


2. (U) Econoff met with the Ministry of Communications and
Information Technologies (MCIT) Head of Internet, Services
and Development Department, Rufat Gulmammadov, to discuss the
MCIT's Internet Development Coordination Council, a body that
some Azerbaijani civil society members and the Council of
Europe's (COE) Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Co-rapporteur
allege is working on limiting access to information on the
internet. Gulmammadov strongly disagreed with the PACE
report's characterization, saying that the GOAJ decided to
form this Council because it is concerned about the slow pace
at which internet availability and usage is spreading in
Azerbaijan.


3. (U) According to Gulmammadov, the main purpose of the
Coordination Council is to accelerate the development of the
internet (availability and usage) and encourage domain name
registration -- the opposite of what the PACE report alleges,
he noted. Gulmammadov added that the GOAJ is concerned about
the use and abuse of "az.com" and other Azerbaijani-related
domain names. Since the GOAJ cannot buy all the domain names
itself, he said, the Council will work to educate the
Azerbaijani public on the benefits of registering for a
domain name, will provide information on how to register, and
will advise the Minister about how to increase local domain
name registration.

How the Council Works--Advisory Capacity
--------------


4. (SBU) Continuing to address the allegations against the
Coordination Council, Gulmammadov emphasized that it is a
nine-member advisory council for MCIT Minister Ali Abbasov,
and that it has no/no legal authority to change legislation
or take action on any issues. The Coordination Council
cannot decide to close down a site or censor information on
the internet, Gulmammadov said. Instead, the Council, which
meets quarterly and includes members from the MCIT, NGO,
academic and business communities, calls in experts to
discuss topics of concern. Created in July 2007, Gulmammadov
said the Council's first two meetings focused on "how to
lower the price and improve the quality of the internet in
Azerbaijan." With the help of experts, the Council forms an
opinion and presents it in writing to Abbasov, Gulmammadov
continued. The advice of the council can vary from the need
for legislative changes to enable or encourage IT growth to
the need for more informational programs or education. The
Council is an attempt to reach out to more experts outside
the MCIT, Gulmammadov said, to give Minister Abbasov the best
advice possible. The final decision on what will be done
belongs to the Minister, Gulmammadov stressed. Econoff
emphasized the importance of ensuring freedom of expression
on the internet; Gulmammadov reiterated that the Council does
not and will not censor websites or material on the internet.


Civil Society Responds
--------------


5. (SBU) Civil society appears divided on the new Council.
The Head of the Internet Freedom Forum, for example, said he
is "deeply concerned" about the activities of the new
Council. The Head of the Azerbaijan Internet Forum (AIF)
said his organization had been invited to join the Council
but elected not to participate, on the grounds that there is
not much purpose to the Council. AIF believes there is
sufficient legislation to regulate internet activities.


Comment
--------------


6. (C) The MCIT's Coordination Council does not view
controlling access to information as part of its mandate,
particularly since the Council does not have the legal
authority to order the closure of internet sites or censoring
of information. The Council appears to be what Gulmammadov
said -- Minister Abbasov's attempt to gather a group of
advisors and experts, including those outside the MCIT, to
address problems of slow development of the internet in
Azerbaijan. While there have been a few cases of internet
censorship over the last year, it is reportedly Presidential
Security that shut down or blocked internet access to an
online petition protesting utility price increases and to a
satirical blog that includes criticisms of the GOAJ and
President Aliyev. The MCIT Coordination Council appears to
have played no role in these cases.


7. (C) While it includes members from the NGO, academic and
business communities, at least one of the external members
reportedly has close ties to GOAJ officials in Presidential
Security who are rumored to exert heavy influence over the IT
sector. This underscores the question of how effective the
Council could be in addressing underlying business reform
issues needed to improve the IT situation in Azerbaijan. The
reported ties to Presidential Security could also be the root
of the concern over the Coordination Council, but it seems a
stretch since the Council has no real power or heavy hitters
playing a role. Whether the Council serves a purpose or is
ineffectual remains to be seen, but it seems clear that it is
not currently a threat to freedom of expression on the
internet.
DERSE