22:00, 29 March 2007

PACE has criticized Azerbaijan

Yesterday, the PACE Monitoring Committee held a discussion of Azerbaijan's liabilities before this international body.

Samed Seidov, head of Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE, characterized the course of debate as constructive, the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" reports.

Meanwhile Andres Herkel, Rapporteur of the PACE Monitoring Committee, disagreed with S. Seidov's assertions. According to Mr. Herkel, the report on Azerbaijan has pretty much of serious criticism.

"How can we say about anything positive, when innocent people are put to prison, when the problem of political prisoners continues to be actual, and the media and journalists are more and more oppressed?" Mr. Herkel stated. The Rapporteur noted that the report itself and the draft resolution had reflected all these points, and the discussions at the spring session would be "very serious."

"We find unacceptable the situation, when the fundamental citizens' freedoms like the freedom of assembly and fair elections are breached," Andres Herkel concluded.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent