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Presidential Administration Official expresses attitude to statement of Council of Europe Secretary General - UPDATED

Presidential Administration Official expresses attitude to statement of Council of Europe Secretary General - <span style="color: red;">UPDATED

03 May 2013 20:35 (UTC +04:00)

Secretary General told APA's Europe bureau that despite international demands for his release, the Azerbaijani authorities are bringing new charges against him.

"This is particularly disappointing and worrying in the light of the Azerbaijani chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe scheduled for May 2014. Not only was the Council of Europe representative in Baku not admitted to the initial trial in February, but in addition, a group of Council of Europe ambassadors who recently visited Azerbaijan was not allowed to visit Ilgar Mammadov. I urgently call on the Azeri authorities to engage in dialogue with the international community.”

Head of the Department of Public and Political Issues of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov noted that the Azerbaijani authority in accordance with the norms of the rule of law did not put forward any allegations against Ilgar Mammadov: "In Azerbaijan, the charge against the person, who violated the law, is put forward by the law enforcement bodies, the judiciary is taking appropriate decision thereon. To blame Azerbaijani authority on this issue is baseless. The information about Ilgar Mammadov that law enforcement bodies issued,says that he is accused of a concrete act, and therefore he has been deterred. Then, the court had a decision on his arrest. Apparently, in the course of investigation, new facts have been revealed and additional charges were brought against him. Azerbaijani authority does not interfere in the results and in the work of the judiciary. The authority only after the court decision may express its position on this matter. "

Head of the Department of the PA also commented on the fact that during the recent visit of the Council of Europe ambassadors to Azerbaijan they were not allowed to meet with Ilgar Mamedov: "In order to meet the person, who is under a preventive measure in the form of arrest, the legislation requires certain procedure. By following this procedure, if relevant executive power was appealed in time complying with rules, there will not be any problem".