PACE Monitoring Committee criticizes Azerbaijan, Armenia

Members of the PACE Committee on the Honoring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) discussed the situation in Armenia and Azerbaijan at a session in Paris yesterday, September 15. They touched upon the issue of the honoring of commitments to the organization by these countries, human rights activist Rena Saddadinova told the Caucasian Knot correspondent. PACE co-rapporteurs on Azerbaijan Andreas Gross and Andres Herkel spoke at the session. They mentioned the recent presidential pardon decree among positive factors. At the same time the co-rapporteurs raised their concern about the delay in passing the Law on Public Television and dragging out of the trial against opposition leaders. The process of democratization in Azerbaijan should be speeded up, they added.

Committee members discussed the resolution adopted by the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) in connection with the situation in Armenia. In Ms Saddadinova's words, they noted human rights were still violated in this country and besides the authorities hampered the realization of many democratic rights, including the right to hold mass actions.