Andres Herkel: “We are not satisfied with the results of the talks between the Venice Commission and Azerbaijan government”

APA was told by Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe Monitoring Committee co-reporter on Azerbaijan, member of Estonian parliament, chairman of Europe People’s Party Andres Herkel in his exclusive interview.

He stated that he wants to see positive changes when he comes to the meeting of Monitoring Committee in Baku in July, however, didn’t conceal that he doesn’t hope for this change basing on the information on the Internet and his email:”Andreas Gross and I will realize monitoring program and we shall stay in Baku for several days more than other members of the committee”.

Responding to the question concerning the political prisoner problem in Azerbaijan, A.Herkel that main thing is not the number of the political prisoners. The main thing is that, there should not be political prisoner in Council of Europe member state. Expressing opinion on the 108 names of prisoners mentioned in the report presented to PACE by Malcolm Bruce-Council of Europe reporter on political prisoners Azerbaijan, A.Herkel announced that, this figure is possible to be more: “It is possible that some of the persons in the lists we got are no political prisoner indeed, however it is also possible that, there are political prisoners among the persons we don’t know”. A.Herkel considers that the greatest problem of Azerbaijan is less development and dependence of justice and court systems:” Azerbaijan is one of the countries spending the least amount of allocation to the court system. That is negative case”.

Expressing opinion on the case though the authority announced that it will let the political rallies after 15 June it permitted the opposition to hold rally on 4 June, A.Herkel stated that the right to freedom of assembly must be always guaranteed: “The people should always be ensured with this opportunity. It is absurd to tell that the rallies will be let to be held by any date”.

Expressing his regret that the public television has not functioned yet, the co-reporter is concerned about the harassments against the freedom of media in Azerbaijan: “Freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly are the main elements of human rights. Regrettably, there is no guarantee for this in Azerbaijan”. According to A.Herkel, there is a tendency in Azerbaijan that instead of trying to solve of the problem it is better to work with the man who is busy with the problem.

A.Herkel also expressed opinion on the consulting between Venice Commission and Azerbaijan government on the making amendments to Election Code. He stated that, these amendments should have been made by Azerbaijan itself: “However, Azerbaijan always achieves agreements by the way of long-termed negotiations. We are not satisfied with the results of the talks between the Venice Commission and Azerbaijan government. The structure of the election commission should be formed by the equal principals. I can say taking into consideration the previous elections that, the people included into the structure of Election Commission as independent persons are not independent at all”.

/APA/