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PACE MONITORING COMMITTEE CO-RAPPORTEURS EXPRESS DEEP CONCERN AT WORRYING DEVELOPMENTS IN AZERBAIJAN
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/02/08/pace-monitoring-committee-co-rapporteurs-express-deep-concern-at-worrying-developments-in-azerbaijan/
15:15 08.02.2013
Pedro Agramunt (Spain, EPP/CD) and Joseph Debono Grech (Malta, SOC),
monitoring co-rapporteurs on Azerbaijan of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE), have expressed their deep concern at
recent worrying developments in Azerbaijan, including the detention,
trial and sentencing of peaceful demonstrators and the arrest of
opposition politicians.
"There have been most worrying reports about unfair court hearings
and alleged ill-treatment of some detainees," said the co-rapporteurs,
referring to the detention of around 80 peaceful demonstrators in Baku
on 26 January, following a peaceful protest against the authorities'
violent dispersal of another, larger protest in the northern city of
Ismayili three days earlier. Thirty of the Baku demonstrators were
charged and five were sentenced to prison.
"We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to review the cases of
protesters and activists detained when demonstrating peacefully, and
after trials whose conformity with human rights standards has been
called into question by civil society and the international community,"
they said. "All reports of alleged torture and ill-treatment in
custody should be thoroughly investigated and those responsible should
be punished."
They also expressed their concern at the arrests two days ago,
on charges of inciting the Ismayili protests, of two opposition
politicians - the leader of the Republican Alternative movement Ilgar
Mammadov, and the deputy head of the Musavat Party Tofiq Yaqubli. Mr
Mammadov, who is also Director of the Council of Europe School of
Political Studies in Baku, plans to run for president in elections
foreseen in October 2013. They will remain in police custody for two
months awaiting trial, and could face up to three years in jail.
"These arrests give rise to justified doubts and legitimate concerns,"
said the co-rapporteurs. "We urge the Azerbaijani authorities to
use all available legal tools to release these arrested opposition
politicians."
Mr Agramunt and Mr Debono Grech also recalled that Azerbaijan must
comply with the obligations and commitments that the country undertook
upon its accession to the Council of Europe: "The fairness of the
judicial process must be ensured, as well as transparency during
investigations. Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are
basic human rights which must be guaranteed in every Council of Europe
member state."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/02/08/pace-monitoring-committee-co-rapporteurs-express-deep-concern-at-worrying-developments-in-azerbaijan/
15:15 08.02.2013
Pedro Agramunt (Spain, EPP/CD) and Joseph Debono Grech (Malta, SOC),
monitoring co-rapporteurs on Azerbaijan of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE), have expressed their deep concern at
recent worrying developments in Azerbaijan, including the detention,
trial and sentencing of peaceful demonstrators and the arrest of
opposition politicians.
"There have been most worrying reports about unfair court hearings
and alleged ill-treatment of some detainees," said the co-rapporteurs,
referring to the detention of around 80 peaceful demonstrators in Baku
on 26 January, following a peaceful protest against the authorities'
violent dispersal of another, larger protest in the northern city of
Ismayili three days earlier. Thirty of the Baku demonstrators were
charged and five were sentenced to prison.
"We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to review the cases of
protesters and activists detained when demonstrating peacefully, and
after trials whose conformity with human rights standards has been
called into question by civil society and the international community,"
they said. "All reports of alleged torture and ill-treatment in
custody should be thoroughly investigated and those responsible should
be punished."
They also expressed their concern at the arrests two days ago,
on charges of inciting the Ismayili protests, of two opposition
politicians - the leader of the Republican Alternative movement Ilgar
Mammadov, and the deputy head of the Musavat Party Tofiq Yaqubli. Mr
Mammadov, who is also Director of the Council of Europe School of
Political Studies in Baku, plans to run for president in elections
foreseen in October 2013. They will remain in police custody for two
months awaiting trial, and could face up to three years in jail.
"These arrests give rise to justified doubts and legitimate concerns,"
said the co-rapporteurs. "We urge the Azerbaijani authorities to
use all available legal tools to release these arrested opposition
politicians."
Mr Agramunt and Mr Debono Grech also recalled that Azerbaijan must
comply with the obligations and commitments that the country undertook
upon its accession to the Council of Europe: "The fairness of the
judicial process must be ensured, as well as transparency during
investigations. Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are
basic human rights which must be guaranteed in every Council of Europe
member state."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress