PACE rapporteur on Azerbaijan resigned

Baku / 18.09.17 / Turan: Belgian senator Alan Desteks resigned from membership in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) due to the fact that his name is mentioned in the international journalistic network OCCRP, which referred to the withdrawal from Azerbaijan 2.9 billion dollars for the purpose of money laundering in 2012, 2014. According to Western media reports, Desteks received funding from Azerbaijan for his non-profit association in Belgium. At the same time, Desteks was the PACE rapporteur on the situation in Azerbaijan in the field of human rights. His activities aroused criticism of local and international human rights defenders for alleviating problems with human rights and freedom of expression. His report was to be submitted to the October session of the PACE. However, on Saturday, Desteks resigned, complaining of "attacks" on him.

"In this highly politicized assembly, the discussion is currently focused on my personality, not on the content of my report," the Belgian press cites the words of Desteks. http://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/azerigate-destexhe-demissionne-de-l-assemblee-parlementaire-du-conseil-de-l-europe/article-normal-723899.html

According to Desteks, "the conditions for quiet debates are no longer fulfilled." Earlier, Desteks was at the center of the scandal surrounding the trip of a group of PACE members to Syria for meetings with Bashar Assad. This trip was not authorized by the assembly. In this connection, the president of the PACE, Pedro Agramunt, was not credited for participating in such a trip. -06D--