Anne Brasseur promises to help in solving the problems of civil society

 The PACE President Anne Brasseur  who is   in  Baku with an official  received a large group of civil society representatives. The meeting lasted for 3.5 hours, discussed the situation with human rights, the state of civil society, the problem of political prisoners.

Brasseur asked the participants not to disclose details of the press, assuring that he would make every effort to resolve problems.  The meeting was attended by the: the executive secretary of the  REAL Movement Natig Jafarli, human rights defenders Arzu Abdullayeva, Saida Gojamanli, Gunay Ismailova, Zaliha Tahirova,  Samir Kazimly, a journalists Shahveled Chobanoglu, Nargiz Yagublu (as a member of a family of political prisoner Tofig Yagublu), a member of the  NIDA movement Aygun Panjalieva,  a lawyer Fariz Namazly etc.

Brasseur was handed a petition on  behalf of some of the participants and those who did not attend the meeting. The text is placed in the facebook page of journalist Khadija Ismayilova.  The document calls for urgent steps by the Assembly in connection with the violation of human rights in Azerbaijan.

The appeal states that human rights activists arrested Anar Mammadov, Leyla Yunus, Rasul Jafarov, Intigam Aliyev suffered for trying to defend the values ​​of the Council of Europe. The same fate awaits Emin Huseynov.

Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Council of Europe has coincided with a ruthless campaign of repression against human rights defenders authorities. The Council of Europe has faced an unprecedented threat to its authority.

"The Council of Europe has become a  hostage  of its commitment to human rights and the policy of "appeasement"  states constantly trampling on the basic duties of a member of the organization. "The question now is: Can Strasbourg protect the fundamental rights of the Azerbaijani people from authoritarian government,"  reads the message.

Authors reminded that if the state violates the standards of the Council of Europe, the Assembly has the right to suspend the powers of his delegation, or to deprive them of the right to vote, and even recommend the exclusion of the country from the Council of Europe. However, it seems that Strasburg prefers silence, the statement says.

"This is unacceptable at a time when courageous Azerbaijani human rights defenders, activists, journalists and bloggers are in jail or under the threat of arrest for exercising their right to freedom of expression.

"This is simply unacceptable. Your duty as President of the Parliamentary Assembly  is to call on for  sanctions provided in the Rules of the Assembly and the Charter of the Council of Europe," the statement says.

Authors of the statement call on Brasseur not believe the Azerbaijani leadership,  that the country has a "constructive dialogue" with civil society, and  be  engages in any "round tables".

"We urge you not to accept such an invitation, if a round table  is not held in solitary confinement in Kurdakhani jail,  which has become "a home "for many journalists, bloggers and human rights activists,"  the authors write.

They called on  Brasseur using their powers to raise the issue in accordance with the rules of the Assembly to revise the powers of the Azerbaijani delegation, if the government does not guarantee the immediate and unconditional release of those who have been imprisoned solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression. -06В-