Azerbaijan to tighten antiterror legislation

Azerbaijan is considering amendments to strengthen its antiterrorism laws. 

The chief of the Azerbaijani parliament's Committee for Security and Defense, Ziyafat Asgarov, said on March 7 that the amendments would increase penalties for involvement in "international terrorism, financing of terrorism, organizing, planning, and preparing terrorist attacks, intentionally stirring panic among the people, and using media outlets, the Internet, and social networks" for extremist purposes.

He said the amendments had been outlined in accordance with the national interests of Azerbaijan.

In 2012, Azerbaijani authorities sentenced dozens of people on terrorism charges related to what they said were plots to attack targets during the Eurovision song contest held in Baku in 2012.

Investigators said more than 40 suspects had links with neighboring Iran.

ANN.Az