The plenary session of the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has started in Strasbourg. The agenda of this session does not include a topic directly related to Armenia. However, the Assembly will hold a discussion on “the continuing need to restore human rights and the rule of law in the North Caucasus region,” the humanitarian implications of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, as well as the issue of political prisoners in Russia. At the beginning of the session, the proposal to hold an urgent discussion on “Turkey’s aggressive behavior – the threat of revisionism for European stability” was discussed.
However, the Assembly did not accept this proposal. The head of the Armenian delegation to the PACE Ruben Rubinyan during the plenary session raised the issue of the return of the Armenian prisoners of war and stated, “Almost two years have passed since the signing of the trilateral ceasefire declaration, by which Azerbaijan has undertaken to return the Armenian prisoners of war and captives. But so far only 38 prisoners of war have been confirmed by Azerbaijan, three of whom are civilians. Azerbaijan refuses to return Armenian prisoners of war. Azerbaijan uses them as hostages, treating them as a bargaining chip for further political gain.
Many Armenian prisoners of war have been subjected to false and hasty criminal trials on trumped-up charges. Inhuman, degrading treatment of these people, mass human rights violations have been documented by many international organizations and non-governmental organizations. Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic also referred to the issue and expressed concern in her memorandum.”
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Ruben Rubinyan urged the PACE delegates to unite all their efforts to solve the urgent humanitarian issues related to the return of the Armenian prisoners of war. “I have no problem with the Azerbaijani delegation. I have a problem with the fact that at least 38 people are being held hostage in a country that hates them institutionally. Everyone should have a problem with this. I hope you will have a problem with this issue.”
In the second part of the first day of the Assembly session, during the plenary session, the “Role of Political Parties in Promoting Diversity and Inclusion: A New Charter for a Non-Racist Society” report was discussed, the adoption of which was welcomed by the majority of the delegations, but it was not to the liking of the Azerbaijani delegates. The report mentions, “Racism is widespread and deeply rooted in Europe for cultural and historical reasons. Hate speech is widespread; it permeates public communication, including political discourse, especially online.”
The report places great responsibility on political parties in the fight against hate speech and sets out mechanisms to hold them accountable․ “Political parties are best placed to promote the fight against racism and intolerance and to promote an inclusive society. They greatly contribute to the formation of political discourse. They are the main goalkeepers of elected bodies. They have wide autonomy to regulate their internal activities.” The PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy has expressed a positive opinion on this occasion.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
