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THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM CALLED FOR THE RESOLUTION OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN AZERBAIJAN
ARMENPRESS
25 July, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS: The Civil Society Forum has called
for the release of all political prisoners in Eastern Partnership
countries in a statement addressed to the EU Eastern Partnership
ministerial meeting in Brussels on 23 July 2012, reports Armnepress
citing European Neighborhood Policy informatin center.
"Some political prisoners have been released in Azerbaijan and
Belarus, but it is not acceptable to have any political prisoners in
the Eastern Partnership countries, and we call for the unconditional
release of all," says the statement. "On 26 June 2012, the Council of
Europe called for resolution of the cases of more than 80 political
prisoners in Azerbaijan alone, and we must not forget that next
week marks the anniversary of the imprisonment of Ales Bialiatski,
a courageous human rights defender in Belarus."
In the statement, the co-Chairs of the CSF Steering Committee, Ihor
Kohut and Jeff Lovitt, also welcomed the increased engagement with both
EU and Eastern Partnership governments in governmental platforms and
ministerial meetings through the extension of permanent participant
status for the CSF.
It welcomed the progress on visa facilitation agreements with
Armenia and Azerbaijan along with the launch of the visa dialogue
with Georgia and the action plans towards visa liberalisation for
Moldova and Ukraine.
The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum was established in 2009
following the Prague Summit which launched the Eastern Partnership.
The EaP CSF aims to support the development of civil society
organisations and facilitate their dialogue with public authorities.
The first EaP CSF took place in Brussels on 16-17 November 2009.
From: A. Papazian
ARMENPRESS
25 July, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS: The Civil Society Forum has called
for the release of all political prisoners in Eastern Partnership
countries in a statement addressed to the EU Eastern Partnership
ministerial meeting in Brussels on 23 July 2012, reports Armnepress
citing European Neighborhood Policy informatin center.
"Some political prisoners have been released in Azerbaijan and
Belarus, but it is not acceptable to have any political prisoners in
the Eastern Partnership countries, and we call for the unconditional
release of all," says the statement. "On 26 June 2012, the Council of
Europe called for resolution of the cases of more than 80 political
prisoners in Azerbaijan alone, and we must not forget that next
week marks the anniversary of the imprisonment of Ales Bialiatski,
a courageous human rights defender in Belarus."
In the statement, the co-Chairs of the CSF Steering Committee, Ihor
Kohut and Jeff Lovitt, also welcomed the increased engagement with both
EU and Eastern Partnership governments in governmental platforms and
ministerial meetings through the extension of permanent participant
status for the CSF.
It welcomed the progress on visa facilitation agreements with
Armenia and Azerbaijan along with the launch of the visa dialogue
with Georgia and the action plans towards visa liberalisation for
Moldova and Ukraine.
The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum was established in 2009
following the Prague Summit which launched the Eastern Partnership.
The EaP CSF aims to support the development of civil society
organisations and facilitate their dialogue with public authorities.
The first EaP CSF took place in Brussels on 16-17 November 2009.
From: A. Papazian