Azerbaijan, Baku, 26 August / Trend corr. I.Alizade / The Musavat deputy group representing opposition at the Azerbaijani Parliament, developed a draft to inject supplements and changes into the Bill on Freedom of Assembly. "The draft envisages removal restrictions on places to hold mass actions in the Law of Freedom of Assembly," Panah Huseyn, member of the Musavat deputy group, told Trend on 25 August.
In May 2008, the Azerbaijani Parliament adopted a draft on supplements and changes into the Bill on Freedom of Assembly, which was developed by the Azerbaijani Government and coordinated with the Council of Europe Venice Commission.
Huseyn believes that the Bill on Freedom of Assembly has some shortages which restrict citizens' right on freedom of assembly.
"The item 9 of the bill indicates places, where mass actions are banned to be held. At the same time, it is indicated that city and district administrations determine list of places, which are allowed for actions. However, the places, which are not indicated in the list of administrations, were not clarified. The draft, which we devised, envisages removal of these shortages," the MP said.
According to Huseyn, their draft offers to remove the item, which envisages preparation of place lists for actions by administrations, from the law. The member of the Musavat deputy group said that administrations' refusal to hold actions necessitates injection of repeated changes into the Bill on Freedom of Assembly. "Permission should be granted to hold actions at places, which the Bill does not ban," the MP said.
The Musavat deputy group offers to change the item, which envisages granting permissions to organizers of actions by administrations.
"Under the Law, organizers should get answer three days before the action day. We offer that answer should be given in three days after the appeal is sent to the administration," Huseyn said.
MP said that they had completed work on the draft and would submit it to the parliament for consideration in autumn session. The draft will be sent to the CE Venice Commission, as well.
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