MINELRES: Fwd: Azerbaijan: State Language comes into force: All in Azerbaijani

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Original sender: Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan <aihmm@lycos.de>


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From: "Azer H.Hasret" <hasret@juhiaz.org>

http://www.cascfen.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=30

CASCFEN
Networking for freedom of press and expression in Central Asia and
Southern Caucasus
January 8, 2003
                                                                                               
Posted on Monday, January 06 @ 13:47:42 CST by admin
Original Source: Baku Today
Official press has published a law on state language making it valid on
4 January.

06/01/2003 - According to Azerbaijan Republic Constitution, the law
regulates legal status of Azerbaijani state language. According to the
law, knowledge of state language is obligatory for each Azerbaijani
citizen.

Office procedures in state and local self-government agencies, state
organizations, political parties, NGOs, trade unions, legal entities,
representations and subsidiaries must be in the state language.
Correspondence with international organizations or their representations
and diplomatic missions will be in state language or in a foreign
language with obligatory translation into Azerbaijani.

All television and radio programs within Azerbaijan must be in
Azerbaijani. All television and radio anchormen and anchorwomen must
have a good command of Azerbaijani language.

Other foreign languages can be used in addition to Azerbaijani in
advertisement and service fields. Size of signs in foreign languages on
advertisement billboards cannot be bigger than that in Azerbaijani.

Imported and exported goods must have information about their origin and
quality in Azerbaijani in addition to signs in another languages.

Azerbaijani language is used in law enforcement agencies, armed forces,
notary office and legal proceedings. However, usage of other languages
is stipulated by law in some cases.

Orthographic and orthoepic norms of Azerbaijani language are approved by
executive branch, which must re-publish orthographic dictionaries every
five years.

Juridical and physical agencies and officials must observe these norms.

President has also issued a decree to apply law on state language.
According to presidential decree, Cabinet of Ministers is instructed to
draft law on responsibility for violation of law on state language.

Information used from Turan