Azerbaijan, Baku, 25 April / Trend corr. G.Jabiyev / Baku will take into consideration the recommendations made in their latest report by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Monitoring Group for Azerbaijan and Armenia (AGO group).
'We view any recommendations in a positive manner that do not contradict the principles of the Azerbaijani State," Ali Hasanov, head of the Public-Political department of Executive Administration of President, stated to journalists on 25 April.
The AGO group developed a report on 23 April on the results of its visits to Azerbaijan and Armenia. The monitoring group called upon Azerbaijan to be more cautious regarding the issues of freedom of speech. "There are bills which still need to be introduced in the sphere of media, democracy, local self-governing and freedom of assembly. A dialogue should be established amongst the opposition and Government. Open and transparency conditions should be created in the country and training sessions which highlight the values of the Council of Europe, should be held," stated in the report.
The AGO group believes it would be significant to introduce the amendments into the Election Code, taking into consideration the problems that NGO representatives face during the planning of stage rallies. The Group called upon Azerbaijan to adopt the Bill on Freedom of Assembly soon.
AGO has approved staff reforms in the judicial sector of Azerbaijan. However, the group believes that there are still problems in this sphere. AGO considers it necessary to transform the constitutional basis to the Court-legal Council, introducing amendments to the Criminal Code and the adoption of the Bill on defamation.
Hasanov said the monitoring group referred to the release of the six Azerbaijani detained journalists in a positive manner. He stated that the issue to release the Azerbaijani detained journalists is being considered. The next pardoning which will coincide with the forthcoming 85th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev is to be issued, Hasanov said.