Ali Hasanov: Neelie Kroes did not understand President

In an exclusive interview with Turan head of the social-political department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov denied allegations from the European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes made in Baku yesterday.

Question: At a press conference yesterday, Vice-President of the European Commission Neelie Kroes said that in a meeting with President of Azerbaijan he agreed with her visit political prisoners in jail. But the next day she was not allowed into the prison. How do you see it?

A: Mr. President did not engage in such petty matters. Meetings in prisons generally are based on procedural rules. Perhaps, Mr. President told her that in Azerbaijani prisons in accordance with the general regime, we can meet any prisoners. However, such meetings have their own rules. It is about suspects and defendants. Procedures for meetings with untried and convicted are different. In all probability, there was a misunderstanding.

Apparently, they thought the issue resolved and without coordination with the Ministry of Justice, not knowing the rules and regulations, gathered a group of people and went to the place of detention and the meeting never took place.

I repeat, in Azerbaijan to meet with people under investigation, there are rules and regulations, and to meet with prisoners there are different rules.

Who can participate in these meetings and how, from whom should be the initiative and the order of this is determined by the rules of the Ministry of Justice.

Therefore, we can not make exceptions, no matter, who it is - a representative of the European Commission, a private citizen or a human rights organization.

Q: Vice-President of the European Commission said that President of Azerbaijan informed her of the future creation in Azerbaijan Internet Television. On what terms it will be created, who will control it?

A: I think that on this issue her statement is inaccurate. First, the creation of Internet TV in Azerbaijan is completely free and it does not require a license. At present, Azerbaijan has over 10 online channels and the number is growing daily. Apparently, Mr. President's statement on the transition from the next year to digital TV was not well understood.

Azerbaijan next year will completely convert to digital TV, including the cable system.

Perhaps it was this.

Q: The Vice-President of the European Commission also referred to the freedom of expression. In particular, she said that there was still much to do to ensure the freedom of the Internet so that there is free expression on the Internet without fear of consequences.

The European Union and the Council of Europe are ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan in this direction. What can you say about this?

Answer: We regret to note that the presence of fear for the use of the Internet in Azerbaijan is a fiction by NGOs. Supposedly, when people write something on the Internet, then are looking around. It is all empty and meaningless nonsense words. Any such a request must be based on facts. If there are no facts, it is just words.

I know that for some time in anticipation of the Global Forum on Governance in the Internet, some NGOs of Azerbaijan together with a number of international NGOs in order to diminish the value of this forum, dedicated consistent efforts to this, and apparently their records reached the European Commission. And it, in turn, made such statements. A lot of these claims are not based on fact, they are emotional, and the relevant bodies of Azerbaijan issued a rebuttal.

In Azerbaijan, there is no atmosphere of fear in the Internet - 65% of the population use the Internet freely, obtain information, issue comment, reviews, and lead discussions.

So far in Azerbaijan no journalist has been arrested for his work on the Internet. Before, there were 1-2 people, but they were released. At present, Azerbaijan has no arrested users or bloggers.

Q: OSCE, the EU and the Council of Europe in a joint statement called on the Azerbaijani government to release imprisoned journalists and activists. What is your attitude to this call?

Answer: There is no call for the release. There is a call for a transparent consideration of the cases of these people in the courts. Transparency will be ensured. The call for the release of a person that has not yet appeared before the court does not fit into any standard. Therefore, you are misrepresenting their statement. There is a recommendation to conduct a transparent judicial investigation in accordance with the European legal standards for journalists under investigation (at present, Azerbaijan has only untried journalists – annotated by Ali Hasanov). And it will be provided. -03B-