Andres Herkel: "Last pardon decree signed by president did not justify hopes"

He told the APA that committee for political prisoners made a protest statement against the pardon decree. "I wanted to meet with political prisoners Natig Afandiyev, Ferhad Aliyev and Sakit Zahidov who was not in the list of political prisoners during my visit to Baku. We will meet with Farhad Aliyev's lawyers and wish to meet with him too. Unfortunately we could not meet with Farhad Aliyev during my last visit to Baku. The case about the political prisoners is not so simple. I think it is PACE special reporters' business," Herkel said.

Herkel treated the ban for broadcasting of foreign televisions and radio stations in local frequencies like a step against freedom of speech. "Enough foreign televisions are being broadcasted in Estonia; it helps the democratic development of the country. It is a pity that Azerbaijan uses Russia's practice in this sphere," he said.

PACE Monitoring Committee co-reporters to Azerbaijan Andres Herkel and Tony Lloyd will visit Baku on October 29. They will have meetings in President's Office, Parliament, Foreign Ministry, Justice Ministry, Central Election Commission and General Prosecutor's office. They will also meet with the representatives of political parties and non-governmental organizations, editors-in-chief of mass media and the ambassadors of PACE countries. They are expected to visit Guba too.