It is essential to give “renewed impetus” to the reform processes in Azerbaijan and to pursue dialogue with the authorities, PACE’s monitoring co-rapporteurs have said following a recent visit to the country (12-14 January 2017).
In an information note on the visit made public today, Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) and Cezar Florin Preda (Romania, EPP/CD) updated their assessments of the situation in Azerbaijan as regards NGO legislation, allegations of ill-treatment by law enforcement, reform of the justice system, persons deprived of their liberty, the recent constitutional referendum, and freedom of expression.
The co-rapporteurs met with the President of the Republic and with many other leading members of the government and parliament, as well as civil society, journalists, representatives of extra-parliamentary opposition parties and the international community. Meetings were also organised with Khadija Ismayilova and Mehman Huseynov, as well as a number of detained persons, including Ilgar Mammadov.