Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 10 / Trend , J.Babayeva/
Official Baku sees no grounds to appoint a special envoy on political prisoners in Azerbaijan at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
"The political-prisoners issue was solved long ago in Azerbaijan. Enough evidence was submitted to the Council of Europe and respective institutions about its resolution. Azerbaijan does not need a special envoy from the Council of Europe or any other organization," Presidential Administration Social and Political Department head Ali Hasanov told Trend on Feb. 10.
Azerbaijan undertook obligations to solve the political-prisoner issue after joining the Council of Europe in 2001. PACE appointed a special envoy to supervise Azerbaijan's fulfillment of these obligations.
Italian PACE member of parliament Malcolm Bruce held the position until 2005. He was not reelected to parliament in Italy in 2005. Later PACE did not appoint a special envoy to Azerbaijan on this issue.
Azerbaijan's lawyers developed a political-prisoner list comprising 30 people.
The Council of Europe accepted these individuals as political prisoners.
The issue of appointing a special envoy on political prisoners to Azerbaijan was raised at the PACE winter session.
Official Baku believes the issue of appointing the special envoy was raised based on the personal agenda of several PACE members.
"There is no any need to implement these measures," Hasanov said.
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