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Human rights defenders: â€œCouncil of Europe rather changes its strategy towards Azerbaijan this yearâ€

02 February 2010 12:10 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva â€“ APA. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg and Ago Group will travel to Bananiyar village of Nakhchivan during their visit to Azerbaijan, said members of the human rights organizations monitoring group Novella Jafaroglu, Saida Gojamanli and Saadat Bananiyarli at a press conference on Tuesday after their participation at the PACE winter session on January 25-31, APA reports. Gojamanli said during the PACE meetings, members of the monitoring group held discussions over the human rights situation in Azerbaijan in 2009, arrest of two bloggers and two editor-in-chiefs, new criminal investigation on journalist Eynulla Fatullayevâ€™s case, results of the municipal elections, situation of the opposition on the eve of parliamentary elections, political prisoners, property rights and other issues.

Gojamanli said the Council of Europe rather changed its strategy towards Azerbaijan due to upcoming parliamentary elections in the country. â€œSeries of visits of PACE officials are expected to Azerbaijan this year. PACE co-rapporteurs Andres Herkel and Joseph Debono Grech will visit Azerbaijan on February 7-8. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg is expected to visit the country in March. Council of Europe rapporteur on political prisoners Christopher Strasser will visit Azerbaijan in April, but in summer chairman of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio is expected to visit the country. Ago group will visit in Septemberâ€.

Gojamanli said after their visit to Azerbaijan, Herkel and Grech would prepare report about the fulfillment of Azerbaijanâ€™s commitments before the Council of Europe and the report would be submitted PACE summer session in June. The co-rapporteurs will also visit Ganja and meet with NGO representatives there.

Human Rights defender Novella Jafaroglu said members of the monitoring group submitted list of 24 related to the political prisoners. â€œIf the issue of arrested bloggers and editors is not solved until the parliamentary elections, it will cause heavy results for Azerbaijan. Council of Europe rapporteur on political prisoners Strasser will meet with the prisoners who have health problems â€“ Natug Efendiyev, Ruslan Bashirli, Mushfig Madatov, Ali Insanov and Farhad Aliyev.