The deputy chairman of Council of Europe chairman on human rights and legal issues and a member of CE monitoring group, Edward Lithner, met leaders of political parties and NGO during his visit to Azerbaijan on March 20-21, Trend reports.
Edward Lithner, representative of German delegation in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, has met with the Association on Development of Civil Society in Azerbaijan (ADCSA) leadership on March 20 and Eni Siyaset group co-founder Eldar Namazov
He also met with leader of Musavat party, Isa Gambar, Azadlig block co-chairman, leader of National Unity Movement Lala Shovket, Azerbaijan National Independence party leader Etibar Mammedov and the Council on the political prisoners leadership on March 21. The socio-political situation in the country, condition of democracy and human rights, results of the 6 November elections, re-run parliamentary elections and Azerbaijans obligations set by the CE were discussed by Edward Lithner and Verner Munge during their meetings with the leaders of political parties in Azerbaijan.
CE chairman visited detention center #1 in Baku the same day and met with Rasim Akberov, who is considered to be a political prisoner. He later met the chairman of the Council of Political Prisoners, Anver Gafalli, and answered mass media questions.
President Ilham Aliyev, speaker of Milli Medjlis Oktay Asadov, Minister of the national security Eldar Makhmudov, Minister of Justice Fikret Mammedov, Central Electoral Commission chairman Mazakhir Panahov and other officials will meet with Lithner on March 22.
Noticebly, Lithner was invited to Baku by the Assosiation on Development of the Civil Society in Azerbaijan.