Opposition finds criticism of Azerbaijan in CoE's report too soft

Azerbaijan encroaches on the freedom of speech, lacks high-quality legal help and provides no chances for migrants, says the report by Dunja Mijatović, the Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe (CoE). The Commissioner is too cautious in her estimates, the PFPA leader has pointed out.

After her visit to Azerbaijan on July 9-12, 2019, Ms Mijatović stated that the country's authorities should ease pressure on the freedom of speech, improve the situation of lawyers and continue solving problems of internally displaced persons (forced migrants).

The Commissioner has regretted that there is no progress in the country regarding the freedom of self-expression. However, she highly praised the steps taken to help people resettled because of the Karabakh conflict.

Alesker Mamedli, a law expert and a member of the "Civil Society Platform", treats Ms Mijatović's report as objective. In his turn, Ali Kerimli, the leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), has called the report "excessively politically correct."

"This year, about a hundred members of our party have been arrested on far-fetched charges, or for participating in protest actions, or for their posts in social networks. In fact, the country has a situation of intolerance to any dissent," Mr Kerimli has stated. In his opinion, the international community should "apply sanctions against human rights violators."

Samir Kazymly, the coordinator of the Alliance for the Defence of Political Freedoms, also believes that the international community should increase its efforts towards ensuring human rights in Azerbaijan.