Azernews.Az

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has expressed great concern at the "deteriorating" human rights situation in Azerbaijan, saying it was undermining any efforts being made by the authorities to meet basic democratic standards in the forthcoming presidential election.
In a resolution approved on Tuesday at the group's summer session, the parliamentarians spelled out a "road-map" of urgent steps to be taken ahead of the October 15 election, including ensuring balanced election commissions and an efficient complaints procedure; providing free broadcast time and print space in state media under equal conditions for political parties and blocs; and guaranteeing the opposition's right to hold public rallies.
The assembly said restrictions on freedom of expression - including harassment and intimidation of opposition journalists - and limits on freedom of assembly and association were "inadmissible in a Council of Europe member state", and declared that the issue of political prisoners had not been resolved.
It demanded the immediate release of opposition journalists Ganimat Zahidov, Sakit Zahidov and Eynulla Fatullayev, as well as five others seen as "political prisoners".
The resolution on the state of democratic institutions ahead of the elections was submitted by the PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs Andres Herkel and Evguenia Jivkova.
Herkel said during the discussions that there were some points of concern in Azerbaijan, in particular, regarding media freedom. "There could be some criminal elements in the arrests of the three journalists, but political considerations are involved as well."
Herkel welcomed the recent adoption of the Law on Freedom of Assembly. He noted, however, that all the recommendations made by the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission had not been discussed in parliament prior to introducing changes and addenda to Azerbaijan's election laws. The rapporteur also cited problems with the formation of election commissions.
18 seats in the commissions are currently equally split among pro-government, opposition and independent members. But the opposition claims that independent members tend to favor the government and calls for forming the bodies with equal representation of only the authorities and opposition. International groups have suggested that the government accept the proposal to increase confidence in electoral bodies.
Head of the Azerbaijani delegation at PACE, Samad Seyidov, said the document passed at the session was "relatively balanced". "However, there are some provisions we will challenge."
Seyidov added that the paper was advisory and the Azerbaijani government would assess it from the standpoint of national interests.
PACE rejected anti-Azerbaijan amendments on the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict proposed by Armenian MPs. Armenia's claim on the destruction of their alleged monuments in the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhchivan was not accepted either.
A member of the Azerbaijani delegation in PACE, Gultakin Hajiyeva, said in her address that the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territories ran counter to the Council of Europe requirements.
"A part of Azerbaijani territory is under occupation, and this fact contradicts the CE principles. It is not the first time the obligations to the organization assumed by Azerbaijan are being discussed. In most former Soviet states, there are serious problems with democracy, anti-corruption combat and other areas. We are witnessing double standards in the approach to these issues."
Hajiyeva also focused on the destruction of historical monuments in Azerbaijan and Armenia.
She said the PACE Committee on Culture, Science and Education was deeply troubled by the devastation of Christian and Alban burials in Azerbaijan, while failing to condemn the destruction of hundreds of monuments attributed to Azerbaijan's history and culture in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and in Armenia.
"I would like for PACE to reflect the acts of Armenian vandalism in its reports, instead of placing an emphasis on Nakhchivan alone," Hajiyeva said, adding that Azerbaijan was ready to cooperate in this area.