YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed into law the bill on adopting new media restrictions in the country, with many experts viewing it as a crackdown on independent press.

The bill has received criticism from journalists who fear that it will restrict the freedom of the press and its access to public information.

The new law requires journalists to fit specific criteria (lack of criminal record; higher education, etc.)

The law stipulates that a centralized state registry will be created to register journalists and media outlets.

The registration of journalists and media entities is voluntary — however, those who refuse to register forfeit the right to access information from public authorities or attend government events and press conferences, according to OC Media.

Moreover, political parties can from now on only run printed press, while local news outlets are banned from receiving foreign funding.

According to a December article in Eurasianet, the new law will also require owners of media outlets to live in Azerbaijan, “which would effectively ban many of the country’s independent media which are run by Azerbaijanis who fled the country’s already repressive media environment.”