Approved by Decision 17/101
dated on July 21, 2003
of the Central Election Commission
of the Republic of Azerbaijan

INSTRUCTION
on the Press Group formed under the Central Election Commission to control the observance of the rules for the conduct of pre-election campaign in mass media according to the requirements of Article 74.5 of the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan

1. Common provisions
The Press Group shall be formed according to the requirement of Articles 25.3 and 74.5 of the Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan in order to control the observance of defined rules for the conduct of pre-election campaign in mass media (radio, TV, as well as including other measures based on the campaign).
1.1. The Press Group under the Central Election Commission (CEC) shall be formed by the composition consisting of a commissioner of the Central Election Commission, specialists engaged in the field of law, as well as journalism;
1.2. While realizing its right and duties, the Press Group adopts the requirements of laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan that regulates methods and rules for the conduct of pre-election campaign, Instructions and other acts by the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a basis;
1.3. Within its authority given by the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan, The Press Group functions mutually with bodies that implements the administration and control in the field of the press and information, editorial offices of mass media, candidates to presidency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, political parties and blocs of political parties that nominated candidates to presidency, voters initiative groups and other participants of the election process;
1.4. In its sessions, the Press Group considers the applications and complains based on the violation of defined rules and methods for the conduct of pre-election campaign in mass media, takes measures to eliminate the revealed shortages and puts the decision drafts on applications and complains into discussion by the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
1.5. The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan implements the administration of the Press Group, organization of its activity and law-based maintenance.

2. Formation and rules for the organization of activity of the Press Group
2.1. The composition of the Press Group shall be approved by Decision of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
2.2. Head of the press group shall be elected by members of the Group;
2.3. Head of the Press Group shall be elected from members of the Central Election Commission with decisive rights to vote;
2.4. In the case of the absence of the head of the Press Group, one of the members implements duties of the head with his/her charge.

3. Duties of the Press Group
Basic duties of the Press Group are as follows:
- Implementation of the control on the observance of legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan that regulates methods and rules for the conduct of pre-election campaign and provisions of Instructions and other acts by the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan by participants of the election process;
- Inspection of the complains and applications related to the violation of the defined rules for the pre-election campaign entered by candidates to presidency, political parties, blocs of political parties, voters initiative groups, mass media, public associations and citizens;
- Preparation of proposals, recommendations, conclusions and decision drafts of the Central Election Commission based on the consideration of applications and complains and conducted inspections.

4. Functions of the Press Group
The functions of the Press Group are as follows:
- Control on the observance of the tabulation sheet for the paid and unpaid air time on channels of the State TV and Radio Company by mass media, candidates to presidency, political parties, blocs of political parties and voters initiative groups and abidance of the requirements of law by the periodical editorials;
- Listen to the reports of representatives of mass media on the realization of signed contracts based on paid air time in mass media given to candidates to presidency, political parties and blocs of political parties, voters initiative groups for the conduct of pre-election campaign, giving pages in newspapers (magazines) on paid grounds;
- Implementation of the control on the observance of correlation defined by the Instruction for the paid and unpaid air time allocated for candidates to presidency by the State TV and Radio Company, the publication of pre-election campaign materials in periodicals in the case defined by this law, as well as abidance of the rules defined by law;
- Inspection of reports on the violation of the requirements of Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On mass media” within the authority of pre-election campaign.

5. Rights of the Press Group
- Consider the applications and complains of the participant of the election process and reply to them on essence;
- Observance of the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan and requirements of the Instruction and listen to the reports related to the entered complains of representatives of mass media editorials;
- Put the proposals on elimination of the violation cases of method and rules for the conduct of pre-election campaign into the discussion by the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

6. Right and duties of the head of the Press Group
Head of the Press Group:
- Organizes and plans the work of the Group and puts the issues related to the work of the Group into the discussion of election commissions;
- Conducts work division among members of the Press Group;
- Ensures permanent work of the Press Group with election commissions, makes proposals requiring their settlement by the Commission and its chairman;
- Calls session of the Press Group to consider the issues requiring the collegial discussion and chairs these sessions;
- Reports on the activity of the Press Group with the request of the Central Election Commission.