OSCE PA session discusses the case of Anar Mammadov (video)

Problems with human rights in Azerbaijan were raised at the plenary session of the OSCE PA in Vienna on February 13. According to Rasul Jafarov, a human rights activist, the  Director  of Media Rights Institute, Rashid Hajili, was given the floor to speak with a report on the situation of freedom of expression in Azerbaijan.

The head of the OSCE PA Committee Isabel Santos (Portugal)  condemned the arrest of Anar Mammadov,  the  head of the Election Monitoring and Democratic Studies Center (EMDS) calling for his release.

Hajily informed the audience not only about  the case of  Mammadov, but also about other politically motivated criminal arrests of Ilgar Mamedov,  the head of the REAL Movement, activists of  NİDA Movement, persecution of other politicians, bloggers and journalists.

In turn, the head of the Human Rights Committee of the Milli Majlis, Rabiyat Aslanova said that "the absence of political prisoners in Azerbaijan was confirmed in January last year at the PACE session.

Concerning the upcoming June meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Baku she said:

"When you arrive in Baku , you will see tolerance , democracy, respect for human rights , commitment to Western integration."

About the case  of Mammadov,  Aslanova said: "Do not hurry , let's wait for the completion of the investigation."   Fending her statement , Hajili said that Rabiyat Aslanova is the head of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights,  “but she speaks about Anara Mammadov, tougher than the prosecutor.”—16D-