Today.Az » Politics » Malcolm Bruce held a press conference dedicated to the results of his visit to Baku
18 March 2005 [01:56] - Today.Az
In the information office of Parliamentary Assembly of European Council in Baku Malcolm Bruce-speaker of this organization within political prisoners in Azerbaijan held a press conference dedicated to the results of his visit to Baku.
He stated that, he held constructive meetings during his visit, and that the main purpose of the European Council is the problem of political prisoners in Azerbaijan to be solved completely. Malcolm Bruce stated that, the next amnesty will be signed within 2-3 weeks.
"I hope that most part of political prisoners will be released. I am hopeful political freedom in Azerbaijan till the Parliamentary Elections to be ensured. I hope opposition leaders to be engaged in their own business".
European diplomat stated that he didn't will to come to Baku once again as a speaker within the political prisoners. Malcolm Bruce also touched the matter of murder executed by Vugar Dadashov, the one who was released by the demand of European Council as a political prisoner and explained how the organization represented by him defined the people included to the list of political prisoners really to be in prison for their political faith. "The name of Vugar Dadashov was not in the list prepared by European Council, Azerbaijani intercessors included his name to the list. I consider that when one is released, the risk of new criminal to be caused by him still remains. But it does not mean that they shouldn't be set free".
Malcolm Bruce stated that, keeping the ones arrested because of October 15-16 events still in prison, is met with dissatisfaction by European Council. "We discussed this matter with President Ilham Aliyev during our meeting. International observers consider that, the court processes of those persons were held non-objectively and tendentiously and I expressed this attitude to the president. President stated that, keeping those people in prison till the parliamentary elections is not desirable case".
Diplomat also touched the question whether Azerbaijan will come across sanctions or not in case if the responsibilities undertaken are not fulfilled. "The absence of improvements in this field within the last 6 months worries us much. In the meeting of the committee of PA EC over Juridical Matters and Human Rights held in January, such an attitude was stated that, if the matter of political prisoners is not solved in the nearest time, Azerbaijan-European Council relations will be necessary to be looked into again. Too many things depend on my visit and steps made by Azerbaijan government. If European Council sees that the intentions of Azerbaijan are of good will, and becomes sure for some measures to be held in the direction of solving the problem, then in the meeting to be held in April these steps will be valued positively. Otherwise, this may result in undesirable situation for Azerbaijan. New period will not be shared for your country in order to fulfill the responsibilities undertaken; the term will not be prolonged. Azerbaijan leadership has been informed about it".
Malcolm Bruce stated that he hadn't announced the names and the number of political prisoners to be released. He stated that, 9 persons from the previous list were not released and eight of them are being looked through again. "Azerbaijan government considers that, if one more court is held then the problem is solved. We do not consider like that, because independent and impartial courts for those people were not ensured. Their guilt was not proved completely. I hope that, the names of 9 political prisoners will be put into the new amnesty to be signed". /APA/
|
|
