In the 21st century, in the age of information, the mass media acts as a very important social communication tool to prevent the threats of religious extremism. In recent decades, unprecedented progress in information and communication technologies have created greater opportunities to access, develop and disseminate information, as well as new challenges and threats.  The media has begun to be considered as one of the main tools and institutions, especially in the area of ​​propagating and fighting religious extremist ideas..

This is primarily due to the fact that religious extremist ideologies and ideologists of the streams have gained access to the mass audience very easily. While over the last century, it required considerable resources to achieve this, now it is much easier to appeal to people and a wider audience. The emergence of social networks and the dramatic increase in the number of mass media have created new tribunes. Ideologists of religious extremism are trying to turn mass media and journalists into broadcasters of these ideas in various ways.

New challenges and existing issues of mass media activities

Increas in the assortment and number of media has created great competition for public attention, audience, and rating. In the context of this competition, the decline of professionalism, the ignorance of the ehtics of professional conduct, and the legislation are skillfully used by the ideologists of religious extremism. Rating, fierce competition for the attention of the audience, and ruthless fighting create certain templates for the mass media’s reaction and behavior in relation to this or another, and ideologists of religious-extremist streams are skillfully use them. In modern era, the media are proficient in the need and interest of instant, direct online reporting of events, the presentation of the details in a very flexible manner.

Another serious problem is the decline in professionalism and the formation of editorial policies under the terms of the rating competition. Professionalism moved background because of increase in number of mass media and the emergence of new technical means of transmission and dissemination of information. Editorials, publishers are not interested in investing in professional development or more professional staff. On the contrary, the peculiarities of such shows in news journalism and even analytics are at the forefront. Journalists and mass media employees do not understand the social responsibility of their work and are often unaware of it.  This factor also creates opportunities for the ideologists of religious extremism.

Researchers note that religious extremist streams, terrorsits take into account these two factors when planning their activities. For these activities, first and foremost, the main focus is public attention. Ian Hartman, one of the well-known investigators of terrorism, notes that “the publication of a terrorist act is a key element of a terrorist strategy. If the act of terrorism does not resonate in the public, it will be useless as a tool of social conflict.”

A similar strategy applies to religious extremist streams. Extremist religious streams and their ideologists seek to address specific issues in public religious basis that propagate discrimination, incitement, and try to achieve information resonance as much as possible.  At the same time, the mass media seeks to use journalists create an opinion about the prevalence of a particular religion, religious tendency or sect and to undermine the culture of tolerance and multiculturalism.

Requirements of the legislation and rules of professional conduct

States, international organizations, journalistic organizations and associations, as well as editorial offices, are implementing legislative reforms to prevent such practices and strategies, and strive to make professional standards and ethics and monitoring mechanisms responsive to new realities.  First and foremost, an advanced regulatory base is an essential prerequisite. The regulatory base should play a role of guide for editors and journalists.  Issues that can cause public resonance, especially religious extremism and terrorism, should be assessed from the point of view of the requirements of legislation and professional standards. 

In this area, Azerbaijani legislation sufficiently considers the modern challenges. Article 10 of the Law on Mass Media states that “it is prohibited to use mass media to disseminate secrets protected by the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as to disseminate other information which is prohibited, to overthrow the existing constitutional state structure, to attempt on the integrity of the state, to propagate war, violence and cruelty,  national, race, social justice or intolerance, to discredit the honor and dignity of citizens,  on behalf of an authoritative source, to disseminate false or misleading articles, to publish pornographic material, to slander, or to commit other illegal acts.”

Article 11 of the above mentioned law specifically states that information provided in Article 9.3 of the Law “On the fight against religious extremism” cannot be disseminated.

Article 9.3 of the Law “On the fight against religious extremism” prohibits the dissemination of information related to special operations against religious extremism, in particular, justifying or promoting religious extremism. 

Article 3.11 of the Code of Professional Conduct of Azerbaijani Journalists states that “In reporting on criminal cases, violence, cruelty and suicide a journalist should refrain from promoting or baselessly sensing such acts.  The journalist should not be used as a means of provoking, or attempting to incite violence, but rather impose appropriate restrictions on the activities of such persons in their reportages and report them only if there is no doubt that the relevant information is important for public.”

Article 3.12 of the mentioned rules states that “journalists and editors should not make reportages exaggerating the terror incident, creating fear effects that serve the purpose of terrorists, justifying terrorism or terrorist acts.”

The law “On information, informatization and information protection” states that the owner of the Internet information resource and its domain name “should not place information about the propaganda and financing of terrorism, methods and means of carrying out terrorism, and the organization or conduct of terrorist training, as well as open invitations to terrorism; Information on the propagation of violence and religious extremism, open invitations to national, racial or religious hatred and enmity,  forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state, disintegration of its territorial integrity, forcible take over or retention of power, organization of mass disturbances.

Principles of mass media-state cooperation in the fight against religious extremism

Researchers note that the most important mass media-state cooperation in the fight against religious extremism should be based on the following principles:

• Strengthening mutual trust;

• Acceptance of the coinciding of the interests of society, the state and the mass media in ensuring the security and stability of the country

• Government assistance in enhancing the professionalism of the mass media in this area;

• Inadmissibility of unlawful restrictions on the media.

Key points and terms for the media

According to researchers and experts, the following issues are particularly relevant to the role of the mass media in the fight against religious extremism;

• Not to allow religious extremist streams and their ideologists to use their opportunities, and most importantly, their influence and reputation;

• Recognizing that human life and security are ahead of all issues;

• Immediate transfer of information about religious extremist activity to law enforcement agencies;

• Be sensitive to information sources, keeping in mind that any information can cause massive agitation;

• Keeping in mind that specific steps could be taken to incite the media and journalists to take action;

• Inadmissibility of linking the events with any religion;

• Attention to the fact that the information does not contain any points which can create a positive image of religious extremist streams, their ideologists and followers, and can cause sympathy for them.

Z. Ibrahimli

This article is published as part of the project “Strengthening the role of the mass media and civil society in the fight against religious extremism and promoting the values of tolerance” funded by the The Council on State Support to NGOs under the Auspices of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, implemented by “Tolerance” Social Research Public Union.