Azerbaijan, Baku, March 12 / Trend , A.Huseynbala/
The U.S. Department of State remains true to its position of non-recognition of the development and success of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan, the head of Azerbaijani parliamentary committee said. "Remaining true to this position, the Department of State sharply criticizes the situation with human rights in Azerbaijan," chairperson of the committee on human rights of Azerbaijan Parliament Rabiyat Aslanova told Trend on March 12.
The U.S. Department of State issued a report on the situation of human rights in Azerbaijan in 2009. The report highlights the limitation of human rights in Azerbaijan.
According to Aslanova, over the years, the Department of State has not provided any normal analysis of the development of Azerbaijan, the use of international practices in the improvement of national legislation.
"Therefore, before dissemination of such reports, we know that they will demonstrate their partial and biased position. It is clear and once again repeated. The report is even much more objective than the old ones," she said.
According to the chairperson of the committee, this once again confirms that the experts who prepared the report have no idea about the situation in Azerbaijan.
"For example, according to the report, despite that political parties can publish their own newspapers, human rights activists continue their activities and do not fear reprisals, in some cases the government punish people who criticize government officials and people from the government. Opposition parties themselves confirm that they publish their own newspapers. Human rights activists also conduct their activities. The freedom of the press has been fully realized in Azerbaijan," said Aslanova.
She said that despite that the officials have been criticized, the activities of any newspaper have not been limited.
"When were newspapers criticizing the officials punished in Azerbaijan?" If today to monitor the opposition newspapers, it becomes clear that despite their many years activity, none of them has been punished. Both we and the society have got accustomed to spread of lies about us. We know that they do not even have the moral censorship," said Aslanova.
According to the head of the committee, in Azerbaijan there is only a moral censorship. "But despite this, their activities are never limited. We believe that whenever the moral law will gain victory inside them and they will stop writing lies and slander," she said. According to Aslanova, Azerbaijan does not close any organ of the press.
"If a press agency finds its reader, it continues to function, but if is not sold, then closes itself. The State does not interfere in this process. Despite all these, the report stresses that the government has provided budget support to the opposition newspapers as well. What else can you say about this, what needs to comment? This means that we attach importance to our freedom of expression and pluralism," said the MP.
Chairperson of the committee also expressed her attitude to the facts of the death of some people in prisons and police stations as reflected in the report. "If people would know that they will not die being in prison, then all would be sitting in prison. Everyone has his/her own destiny. No one can determine the place where life will end. If 70-year-old Togrul Mammadzadeh died at the medical institution of the Ministry of Justice, who is the true source of the information that he has died from the beatings? These are the reliable sources that slander against Azerbaijan. Who are the reliable sources to which the Department of State attaches special importance,"said Aslanova.
She said that unlike this reliable source, the leading experts of the world, arriving in Azerbaijan, witness the ongoing reforms at the Penal Service and the successes achieved by this service.
"At present, a special public committee functions, which frequently meets with Azerbaijani prisoners and the members of the committee are representatives of the opposition as well. We call the names of concrete structures. But the Department of State, referring to the reliable sources, implied people who hate Azerbaijan, and based on their biased opinion, prepares such reports," said the MP.
The head of the committee believes that the information contained in the report regarding presidential elections, referendums and municipal elections does not correspond to reality.
"The report notes that as though the right of citizens to peaceful change of power is limited in Azerbaijan. What a ridiculous argument! People express their will in the presidential elections." Such a report violates the rights of every citizen of Azerbaijan. Because the citizens of Azerbaijan exercised their right to vote. If a citizen does not want to change the existing power, so he/she chose the president as desired. I personally consider such thoughts as insulting to myself as a citizen of the country," said Aslanova.