Azerbaijan, Baku, March 31 / Trend , E. Rustamov/
PACE special reporter on political prisoners in Azerbaijan Christoph Strässer plans to study the situation in Azerbaijan in detail. "I would like to ask you to give me some time to collect in-depth information on the topic of political prisoners in Azerbaijan," Strässer wrote Trend via email.
The PACE Committee on Legal Affairs & Human Rights decided to appoint a special reporter on Azerbaijan in Berlin meeting in March. German member of parliament and member of the PACE Socialist Group Christoph Strässer has been appointed to this position.
Special reporter on political prisoners plans to visit the region in the second half of the year.
Azerbaijani authorities say there is no reason to appoint special PACE reporter on political prisoners in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan's PACE delegation head Samad Seyidov accused the PACE of double standards at a parliamentary meeting in Feb. He said the CE takes contemplative position towards the political prisoner problem in Armenia while the organization is hypercritical towards Azerbaijan.
"Azerbaijan has addressed the problem of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. The CE and its institutes have been introduced enough evidence about it. Azerbaijan needs no special reporter or expert by the CE or other international organizations," Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Public and Political Department Head Ali Hasanov told Trend .
Azerbaijan undertook commitment to solve problems of political prisoners when it was admitted to the organization in 2001. The PACE has appointed a special political prisoner to control country's fulfilling of the commitment. Italian MP Malcolm Bruce held this position until 2005. No special reporter on political prisoners was appointed on Azerbaijan after he lost the parliamentary election in Italy in 2005.
Azerbaijani human rights activists has designed list of political prisoner which comprises 30 individuals. The Council of Europe recognized the list.
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