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Ali Huseynov: â€œStatement by any embassy or representative of foreign ministry on arrest of bloggers is the interference in domestic affairs of Azerbaijanâ€â€“ INTERVIEW

19 November 2009 13:27 (UTC +04:00)

-The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe appointed new rapporteur for Azerbaijan yesterday. We would like to know opinion.

-The rapporteurs for Azerbaijan should be unbiased, properly assess the ongoing processes in the country and describe it in their reports. We are observing the ongoing processes, tension, civil confrontation in Armenia. But the rapporteurs for this country shut their eyes to this, always try to introduce the country in positive aspect. We do not need someone to demonstrate different opinion on the democratic reforms in Azerbaijan, our commitments vis-Ã -vis the Council of Europe. We want the ongoing processes in Azerbaijan to be reported objectively. So, we want the new rapporteur to be unbiased. We have witnessed biased attitude much. We hope the new rapporteur will be unbiased and we will establish effective relations.

-When will the appointment of the rapporteurs for Azerbaijan finish?

-Azerbaijan is a country under monitoring. By the way, we always raise the issue to stop the monitoring process. There will be rapporteur for the country, as the monitoring process exists.

-Secretary General of the Council of Europe and embassies of several countries in Azerbaijan expressed severe reaction to the court ruling on the bloggers. What is your attitude toward it?

-First of all, we should differentiate among the position of international organizations, embassies and foreign ministries. Azerbaijan is the member of the Council of Europe. We have chosen the way of integration into Europe. We have a number of commitments vis-Ã -vis this organization. They are connected both with legislation and human rights. So, it is normal hat the Secretary General of the Council of Europe expresses his view on the above-mentioned case. They express their views on the election process, state of human rights. It is quite another matter whether this view is negative or positive. It is generally acceptable that the Secretary General of the Council of Europe expresses view on any problem. But I do not agree to the severity of this view. There is some contradiction here. The Secretary General expresses his concern over the strictness of the court ruling. Then it is noted that this ruling is connected with the expression of speech, not with hooliganism. If the question is the strictness of the punishment, it means that the essence of the ruling, i.e. accusation is accepted. It turns out that they principally admit the accusation on hooliganism. But they are concerned that the punishment is strict. So, there is contradiction in the statement.

I think they should take more gentle position on this issue. They had to learn the essence of issue and then to express opinion. This idea should be more balanced.

- How do you characterize the reaction of embassies?

- Regarding embassies of some countries, it is other question. First of all, it is not understandable how the embassy or foreign ministry official of some countries could issue such statement. It is interference in our domestic affairs. Officer of Azerbaijani Army Ramil Safarov was arrested in Hungary and was sentenced very hardly. Do we put the Hungarian court system under the question? We search for legal ways to assist him. As a lawyer, I think that Ramil Safarovâ€™s conviction was very hard. It should be not a life sentence, but other sanction. But our embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs didnâ€™t give a note. It means that statement of one country about the legal system, human rights and other domestic issues of another country is confronting with the international law. It was correct that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan expressed its opinion. Generally Norway takes biased position on the processes in Azerbaijan. Non-governmental organizations established and funded by Norway are also meddling in the election and other processes. But I have different opinion about Germany. We have very close relations with Germany. It has unbiased position on many issues, including Nagorno Karabakh conflict. But there was hasty decision as a result of relations created by different correspondences. It is abnormal case when the government agencies show such position and it should be ended. The situation is clear and legal ways should be found in this condition. Some people say that there is an experience of arrest of bloggers in other countries. But there is concrete charge on hooliganism. People can not be arrested for freedom of expression in all countries, including Azerbaijan. There are not such cases in our countries. Therefore I am against such parallels. The charge is concrete and it is an element of hooliganism. If someone doesnâ€™t accept it, he must prove its opposition. The approach should be so.

- When will the parliament approve new Human Rights Commissioner?

- First of all, I have to say that amendments to the Constitutional law on this issue should be put to vote six months later. The six-month term has not expired yet. The parliament didnâ€™t receive any proposal or candidacy for the new Human Rights Commissioner.

- Can the incumbent Human Rights Commissioner be elected for the next term?

- It will be decided by the parliament vote. I have to say that the law allows that.