OSCE PA Committee calls on Azerbaijan's authorities to release human rights defender Anar Mamedli

The Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) has adopted a number of amendments to the draft resolution on access to justice, rule of law and political prisoners. One of the amendments contains an appeal to the Azerbaijan's authorities to release imprisoned human rights defender Anar Mamedli. Another amendment also proposes to raise the status of the OSCE Office in Baku.

On June 30, at the session of the meeting, members of the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs discussed the general report of Serbian MP Gordana Comic and relevant draft resolution. Besides, the Committee has also discussed the amendments thereto, proposed by members of the OSCE PA.

The report and the draft resolution were dedicated to the issues of rule of law, access to justice, political prisoners, civil society participation and reformation of the OSCE human dimension.

The discussion has also touched on the issues of the regulation of migration and the need to ensure and protect the basic human rights of all migrants in the OSCE region, regardless of their legal status. This was reported by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. In particular, during the discussion, the Committee members have expressed their support to the PACE definition of the term "political prisoner".

The above amendments aroused strong opposition of Azerbaijani MPs. In particular, Rabiyat Aslanova, the head of the Committee for Human Rights of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, has rejected the claims on political prisoners in Azerbaijan.