Andreas Gross: "I will not observe by-elections in Azerbaijan"

"The re-elections were to be conducted in at least 50 constituencies. My keeping long silence and not visiting Azerbaijan for a long time means my protest against it. It requires kind of strength to keep silence sometimes."

Commenting on twice reducing the number of members of PACE Election Observation Mission to Azerbaijan, the co-rapporteur said that arrival of a 40-memebr Election Observation Mission in Baku would arouse serious idea on the by-elections, APA reports.

"However, there cannot be serious elections if the Election Code were not amended," the co-rapporteur said.

Mr.Gross also said that he together with other co-rapporteur Andres Herkel will visit Azerbaijan in late May to function as co-rapporteur again. The co-rapporteur stressed the importance of considering post-election prospects. He said they will visit five or six prisons within three or four days during their visit to the country.

"One of the objectives of this visit is to meet prisoners. We also want to meet the former minister for economic development and youth movement activists as well as other political prisoners," the co-rapporteur said.

Mr. Gross also noted that he receives information on political prisoner via email every day. As coming whether the former Ministers are considered as political prisoners, the co-rapporteur said as there is not any court decision he cannot express an opinion about that.

"However, as far as I know, the former officials suffer serious health problems, and they are not provided with necessary medial aid. Such situation creates enough ground to consider the ex-ministers as political prisoners. Because, they are deprived of their rights as prisoner," Gross underlined.

"As coming to treatment of prisoners, Azerbaijan should pursue civilized policy in this direction too. In civilized states, even a murderer, who murdered his child, enjoy full rights. I hope the government of Azerbaijan will launch civilized processes," he stressed.

Commenting on head of Azerbaijani Presidential Administration socio-political department Ali Hasanov's recent statements on him, Gross said he was not surprised by that.

"It is not for the first time that he has spoken in such a way about me. I stated late in January that I will not observe the re-elections. I have fulfilled my promise," the co-rapporteur underlined.

Responding to the question whether he is going to refuse being co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan, Gross reminded Azerbaijani authorities almost declaring him "persona non grata" recently.

"I was to observe only referendum. They wanted to close doors to me in August, 2002. The authorities of Azerbaijan through the authorities of the Council of Europe have been trying to prevent me from being a co-rapporteur. However, either I or my counterparts can put an end to my mission. I'll carry on my activity. Because, first of all, I want to serve the benefit of the Azerbaijani people with my activity," the co-rapporteur concluded.