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Ago group holds meetings in Azerbaijan - UPDATED

Ago group holds meetings in Azerbaijan - <font color=#FF0000>UPDATED</font>

05 July 2007 12:30 (UTC +04:00)

The group members have already met with the representatives of opposition parties. They met with chairman of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP) Ali Karimli, chief of National Unity Movement Lala Shovket and chairman of Azerbaijan Democrat Party (ADP) Serdar Jalaloglu.
Ali Karimli told the APA that the discussions focused on the state of media, freedom of speech, arrest of journalists, Electoral Code, restriction of political parties and 2008 presidential elections. They mainly debated on the composition of the election commissions, law on freedom of assembly and other election reforms. APFP chief said that the group members said they will debate on these issues while meeting with the governmental representatives.
â€œAgo group members underlined the necessity of changing the composition of election commissions,â€ he said.

Following this, the group met with the rights defenders. Chief of Azerbaijani bureau of Helsinki Citizensâ€™ Assembly Arzu Abdullayeva, chairman of Independent Advisory and Assistance Center for Civil Society Ekdar Ismayilov, secretary of NGO for Free and Fair Elections Chingiz Dadashov and chairman of Law and Development organization Hafiz Hasanov participated at the meeting. Arzu Abdullayeva said they debated on freedom of speech, law on freedom of assembly, composition of election commission.
â€œWe expect amendments to the Electoral Code. Addresses of voters are shown in the present code, we do not want these addresses to be shown. The composition of election commissions should also be changed,â€ she said.
Ago group members said they will take these into account.

A group of NGOs also met with Ago group in Baku. Chairman of Constitution Defense Fund Alimammad Nuriyev, Judicial Enlightenment Society chief Intigam Aliyev, coordinator of Transparency International on Azerbaijan Rana Safaraliyeva and rights defender Eldar Zeynalov participated in the meeting.
Nuriyev told the APA that judicial system in Azerbaijan and problems in this field were debated during the meeting. The chairman of the fund said that they also debated on reconsidering the criminal cases of the prisoners sentenced to death, and fairness of decisions.
â€œThey listened to us and promised to raise these issues at the meeting with government representatives,â€ he said.
Permanent Swedish representative to the Council of Europe Per SjÃ¶gren leads the group. The group includes permanent ambassadors Eberhard KÃ¶lsch (Germany), Bruno Guen (France), Peteris Elferts (Latvia), Stellan Stolan (Romania) and Alexander Alekseyev (Russia). They will be accompanied by CE secretariat officials Puarel, Aarnio-Lvoff and Cheliento.
The current state of the relations of Azerbaijan with the Council of Europe, implementation of the commitments, independence of courts, activity of local authorities, freedom of media and the Nagorno Karabakh problem will mainly be debated during the meetings. Ago group is expected to meet Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, head of Presidentâ€™s Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, the speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament Ogtay Asadov, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, chairman of Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov, chief of Azerbaijan National Television and Radio Council Nushirevan Meherremli in the framework of their visit to Azerbaijan. Justice Minister of the group is expected to participate in the roundtable on activity of court system with the participation of Prosecutor General, chiefs of Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Bar and Commissioner for Human Rights.
The Ago group will end its visit on July 7. /APA/