If there is no strong society, it is necessary to have a dialogue with the government, a human rights activist

On October 31 defenders included in the Working Group on Human Rights with the participation of representatives of the authorities, held a press conference in the office of the Society for Women's Rights.  Sahib Mammadov, secretary of the Group, called useful the restoration  of the working group, and complained that the group is being attacked. In particular, he pointed to a letter from the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and PACE President on behalf of the 35 members of civil society, which s expressed distrust to the Working Group; and  they highlighted the "role" of the journalist Khadija Ismailova. "They want  the names of known political  prisoners be included the list, but do not want their release. We want the release of all prisoners, and the working group will act in this direction," said Mammadov. He further said that there is "business network, cashing in on the topic of human rights", and they have representatives in Azerbaijan.

Then Mammadov admitted that all 10 human rights activists involved in the Working Groupdid not want to see  Khadija Ismailova in it. At the same time, the Working Group wants to see the arrested Rasul Jafarov, Emin Huseynov, who is now in hiding. Working Group members are optimistic, and hope that by the end of the year will be released all the arrested representatives of the NGO sector. "Some of the prisoners may reject the Working Group, but we will not give up their release," said the human rights activist Saida Gojamanli.

Novella Jafaroglu, in turn, noted that the establishment of the Working Group was not a simple matter. "If there is a strong civil society in the country that enjoys massive popular support, the establishment of the Working Group would not be necessary. Therefore, when there is not a strong society, to solve a problem it is necessary to start dialogue with the government," she said. According to Novella Jafaroglu, authorities plan such dialogue separately on NGOs and the media.

Asking the question from Turan about the situation in Nakhchivan, where human rights defenders Malahat Ilgar Nasibovs are subjected to pressure, and their exit from Nakhchivan to  Baku is prohibited, Jafarova said that the Working Group focuses on the case of Ilgar Nasibov. For this human rights activists are planning a visit to Nakhchivan to attend the trial in the case of I.Nasibov.-05C06-