GUSAR, Azerbaijan, July 16. Providing
professional, accurate and responsible coverage of religious issues
in the modern information environment is one of the key
responsibilities of media organizations, Daghbeyi Ismayilov, deputy
chairman of the board of AZERTAC, said, Trend’s correspondent reports from the
event.
Ismayilov made the remarks during a conference in Qusar titled
“Coverage of Religious Issues in the Media: Shared Responsibility
for Maintaining Religious Stability.”
He said that in a rapidly developing information society, the
media is no longer only a tool for delivering news but also an
important social institution that influences public opinion,
people’s worldviews and moral values.
“Professionalism and awareness in the media’s approach to
religious issues are particularly important. The topic we are
discussing today is highly relevant from this perspective,” he
said.
Ismayilov noted that the Azerbaijani government pursues a
consistent and principled policy in the field of religion.
According to him, the Constitution of Azerbaijan grants every
citizen the right to freedom of conscience and religious belief,
which is not only one of the country’s fundamental legal and
political principles but also serves social stability and
harmony.
He said relations between religion and the media in Azerbaijan
are regulated by the laws “On Freedom of Religious Belief” and “On
Media.”
“Religion is separate from the state in Azerbaijan. At the same
time, the state continues to pay close attention to this area
because religion is not only an individual belief but also a sphere
that has a significant impact on public relations. Therefore,
religious stability and transparency are protected through both
legal mechanisms and information tools,” he said.
The AZERTAC official said the information environment is
changing rapidly and that while the development of social media has
made the spread of information much easier, it has also reduced the
ability to control this process.
“In such conditions, the issue of preserving religious stability
becomes even more important. The media’s role is not only to
distribute information but also to educate, promote national and
moral values, and encourage religious tolerance in society,” he
said.
Ismayilov said one of the main pillars of religious stability is
religious literacy and public awareness.
“Providing young people with accurate and reliable religious
knowledge is one of the important responsibilities of the media.
Wherever a gap emerges, it is filled either by ignorance or by
external radical messages. Azerbaijani media is taking timely and
decisive action against such cases,” he said.
According to Ismayilov, religious stability does not simply mean
the absence of conflict between different religious
communities.
“Religious stability is a healthy social environment where
mutual respect, freedom of conscience, tolerance toward religious
diversity and the rule of law are ensured. In such conditions,
every person can freely express their religious beliefs while
respecting the beliefs of others. This is an important condition
both for society’s moral unity and for national security,” he
said.
Ismayilov stressed that preserving religious stability is not
only the responsibility of state institutions and religious
communities but also a shared duty of the media, educational
institutions, civil society and every responsible citizen.
“The media plays a special role in this process because
society’s attitude toward religious issues is largely shaped in the
information space. Accurate, impartial and professional information
strengthens public trust and prevents misconceptions and radical
messages. Conversely, unverified information, manipulative
presentations and superficial approaches to sensitive religious
issues can create tension in society and harm religious stability,”
he said.
The deputy chairman of AZERTAC’s board said the agency has
always based its work on the principles of professionalism,
efficiency, objectivity and reliability.
“As a state news agency, AZERTAC will continue contributing to
the accurate and balanced coverage of religious issues, the
development of a healthy information environment, the promotion of
national and moral values, and the strengthening of religious
harmony in Azerbaijan,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Ismayilov expressed confidence that the
ideas and proposals voiced during the conference would contribute
to stronger cooperation between the media and religious
institutions, the development of professional approaches in this
field and the further strengthening of religious stability in
Azerbaijan.
