PACE co-rapporteurs dissatisfied with situation in Azerbaijan

Yesterday, on May 28, Andreas Gross and Andres Herkel, co-rapporteurs of the PACE Monitoring Committee, had a press-conference upon the results of their two-day visit to Azerbaijan. As Gross noted, the goal of their mission was examination of the progress of implementation of PACE Resolution No 1480 adopted at the Assembly January session.

Gross reminded that the document recommended the Azeri authorities to hold democratic parliamentary election on May 13 in 10 constituencies, investigate the facts of falsifications at the November 6, 2005 parliamentary election and punish the persons at fault, reform the Election Code and the composition of election commissions, and ensure freedom of association. However, what "has been heard and seen" here, according to Gross, gave every reason to believe that "no drastic changes have taken place." "The drawbacks are still in place. In this case, I do not think that the decision of the Assembly July session is going to be less critical than the resolution adopted at the January session," said Gross. Herkel, the other rapporteur, stated that the PACE co-rapporteurs were preparing a major report on the issue of political prisoners, noting that, while previously the issue had been dealt with by the PACE Political Committee which appointed rapporteurs, this time the mission was vested with the co-rapporteurs on Azerbaijan.

Along with this, Herkel called the activity of the working group on political prisoners, consisting of representatives of the executive and legislative power and human rights activists, an "excellent" example of cooperation between the authorities and the civil society. Herkel expressed hope that the idea of announcing an extensive amnesty expressed in the course of a meeting with the working group would be implemented in near future. According to him, there should not be any political prisoners in a democratic society: "A number of laws must be reviewed in Azerbaijan in order not to have any political prisoners in future, then citizens will be able to defend their rights."

Having mentioned the meeting with Bakhaddin Khaziev, chief editor of "Bizim Yol" newspaper who was in hospital, Herkel stated with regret that, "this is not the first case of violence with regard to journalists in Azerbaijan." As regards the Azeri delegation mandate, Gross said that the co-rapporteurs would till the last moment discuss the idea to recommend a proposal to review the Azeri delegation mandate at the Assembly summer session.