Hajibeyli is excluded from the PACE sanctions list

Baku / 06.09.18 / Turan: Former MP of the Milli Majlis, Gultekin Hajibayli, announced the expulsion of her name from the PACE sanctions list. In June the Independent Investigative Body of the PACE published a list of 29 former and current members of the PACE who violated ethical norms and refused to give explanations about their actions and was for life denied access to the buildings and activities of the Council of Europe.

Among them were: two active members of the Milli Majlis - Elkhan Suleymanov and Muslim Mammadov, as well as former deputy of the parliament Hajibeyli. She was included on the list, allegedly because she refused to testify to the investigative body. However, in fact, the leadership of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE hid from Hajibeyli the fact of summon for testimony.

On 3 September, at a meeting of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Issues in Paris, it was decided to remove Hajibayli from the sanctions list.

"Thus, the provocation of the Azerbaijani government against me has failed," the former parliamentarian said. According to Hajibeyli, the committee took into account that the investigation covered the period 2012-2015, however, she had no relations with the Assembly after 2010. In 2000-2010, Hajibeyli was a deputy of the MM and a member of the national delegation of PACE. At that time she occupied a pro-government position. However, later she began to criticize the authorities, and joined the National Council of Democratic Forces. After that, she became subject to pressure from the authorities. -06D-