Azerbaijan to curb civilian drone use amid media freedom fears

Mehman Huseynov

Azerbaijan's parliament is set to tighten regulations on civilian drones, sparking criticism from activists who warn the move will further restrict independent journalism and anti-corruption work.

The proposed amendments to the country's aviation law, debated by a parliamentary committee on 4 June, would restrict autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to state-designated geographical zones.

Under the draft legislation, the circulation of civilian drones will also require special licences.

The move has drawn criticism from civil society groups who say the regulations are designed to prevent independent scrutiny of state officials and public infrastructure.

The restrictions mirror long-standing obstacles faced by investigative journalists and bloggers in the Caucasus nation, where aerial footage has previously been used to expose official corruption.

Mehman Huseynov, a prominent Azerbaijani blogger known for his investigations into the unexplained wealth of government officials, was previously forced to halt a series of corruption reports after his drone was confiscated by police.

At the time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs told local media that the matter was being investigated, but the device was never returned to the blogger.

Independent lawyers in Azerbaijan say importing and operating a drone in the country already requires electronic clearance from five separate state bodies, including the Ministry of Defence and the State Security Service.

Critics warn that the new bill will codify these barriers into law, making independent aerial filming virtually impossible.