Azerbaijan, Baku, 7 April / corr. Trend K. Ramazanova/ The special commission of the Council of Europe will establish joint work to be carried out with the Azerbaijani government to investigate the issue of political prisoners, said Edward Lintner, the German MP and the former head of Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe in Baku on 7 April.
According to Lintner, there is a need to thoroughly study the issue of political prisoners and to determine the criteria of the Council of Europe on political prisoners.
The Monitoring Group of human right activists of Azerbaijan has developed the list of political prisoners consisting of 35 people which is recognized by the Council of Europe. A total of six prisoners were released during the last pardon decree of the Azerbaijani President.
The Working Group on Situation of Human Rights in Azerbaijan consisting of government, parliament and NGO members will also consider the list.
Lintner said that the discussions on Azerbaijan which were fixed for the spring session of PACE has been delayed until summer. "It was delayed to give to Azerbaijan time to eliminate any ambiguity in this regard," said MP.
However, the official Baku does not agree with the list of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. " Azerbaijan has fulfilled the commitments on political prisoners taken before the Council of Europe," said Ali Hasanov, the Head of Social and Political Relations of the Presidential Administration.