TOP OFFICIAL DISAPPROVES OF STATE DEPT’S REPORT ON AZERBAIJAN
AzerNews. Azerbaijan
April 23 2013
Swift development and rise of Azerbaijan’s international authority
in recent years have contributed to the further increase of the world
attention to it, Head of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration’s
Social and Political Department Ali Hasanov told Trend news agency
on Monday.
He was commenting on an annual report of the U.S. State Department
about the human rights situation in the world, which reflected some
critical milestones about Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan cooperates with international organizations, individual
countries in bilateral and multilateral formats very successfully, and
it is distinguished by its activities in forming global and regional
policy and determining the political agenda. Azerbaijani authorities
pursue independent foreign policy based on the interests of our people
and are distinguished by their position in the international arena,”
Hasanov said.
As for the report of the U.S. Department of State, he said that the
United States is a strategic partner of Azerbaijan. “The relations
between the U.S. and Azerbaijan have three main directions. These are
the issues of energy, security and democracy. Therefore, we normally
think of the fact that the State Department’s report pays attention to
the situation with democracy and human rights in Azerbaijan. However,
the subjective nature of the report, the lack of information sources
in it, distortion of some facts, and most importantly, ignoring
Azerbaijani authorities’ position on different issues, in general,
gives every reason to question the objectivity of this document,”
Hasanov said.
He said ensuring the freedom of expression and information,
independence of media in Azerbaijan is one of the state policy
priorities.
The top official expressed regret that the report highlights some
negative things characteristic for any country, and in many cases –
distortion of information based on which it is attempted to form
an overall opinion. “For example, it is asserted that newspaper
circulation in Azerbaijan rarely exceeds 5,000 copies. Though
daily circulation of Yeni Musavat, Azerbaijan, Zerkalo and several
other newspapers exceeds 10,000 copies. I would like to bring to the
attention of the authors of this report that there is no discrimination
in advertising, and it cannot be. One should admit that limitedness of
advertising market in Azerbaijan is a serious problem hindering the
development of media, particularly the press, and we are currently
engaged in addressing it,” Hasanov said.
Like the freedom of expression and information, the right of citizens
to defend their rights in accordance with the law is also one of the
important elements of democratic development, he said. “In 2009, on
the Azerbaijani President’s recommendation a moratorium was imposed
to bringing journalists to criminal liability for defamation cases.
Disputes between citizens and the media are resolved by administrative
means in courts. If the press disseminates false and slanderous
information about citizens and blackmails them, then, appealing to the
court to protect their rights is the constitutionally guaranteed right
of every citizen. Politicizing the decisions made by the courts on
such cases and presenting it as a mean of pressure on independent media
in the country are nothing else than a biased approach to this matter.
I would also like to add that now Azerbaijan closely cooperates with
the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe in connection with the
adoption of the law “On Defamation”. The attempts taken in the report
to cast a shadow on the situation with the Internet in Azerbaijan in no
case can be taken seriously. In general, information and communication
technologies in Azerbaijan are one of the fastest growing segments
of the economy. In a new report of the World Economic Forum on the
Development of Information Technologies Azerbaijan improved its
ranking in 2012 and climbed from 61st to 56th place.
Azerbaijan has retained its leading position among the CIS countries
and in the region in this regard. According to recent data, 70 percent
of the population in Azerbaijan are Internet users. Today, the number
of Facebook users in Azerbaijan has already exceeded one million.
There are about 300 active Internet resources of political, economic
and social purposes, nearly 20 Internet TV, as well as more than 30
Internet radio channels. Therefore, any claims about the situation and
prospects of development of the Internet in Azerbaijan are subjective
and cannot be taken seriously,” Hasanov underscored.
According to Hasanov, the Constitution and laws of Azerbaijan guarantee
the right of citizens to freedom of assembly. “But the right to
freedom of assembly should not lead to a breach of others’ peace,
social stability, free traffic movement, etc. To this end, both the
Executive Power of Baku and executive structures in the regions have
allocated appropriate places to hold actions,” Hasanov said.
Speaking about the freedom of assembly, he drew a particular attention
to the following milestone. “If those external circles that today
make remarks about Azerbaijan, first look at the events taking place
in their country, then they would be more sincere. In 2011, a wave of
protests hit the British cities, thousands of people were detained,
access to social networks was limited and independent bloggers were
convicted. Worldwide antiglobalist protests are dispersed by violent
methods. Last year the “Occupy Wall Street” protest action in New
York City, protest of miners in the German city of Hamburg because of
the social problems were violently suppressed. Today it has become a
common practice to use water cannons, rubber bullets and other similar
means against peaceful demonstrators, who express their protest in
connection with the financial and economic crisis hitting Europe.
Unfair remarks on Azerbaijan by those who turn a blind eye to the
restriction of the freedom of assembly of citizens in the United
States and Europe cannot be taken sincerely,” Hasanov said.
U.S. State Department report also touched upon the issue of property
rights in Azerbaijan. According to Ali Hasanov, the main objective
of social policy pursued by the Azerbaijani President is to ensure
worthy living conditions for citizens and improving their welfare.
Also the annual report of the U.S. State Department on the human
rights situation in the world expresses concern about the situation
in the Azerbaijani army.
“Today, the Azerbaijani Army is the most powerful in the South Caucasus
for its technical equipment, provision with arms and ammunition,
discipline and combat efficiency,” Hasanov said.
“In recent years, the Azerbaijani President attaches great importance
to the development of the National Army. Budget of our Armed Forces
exceeds the state budget of Armenia. One can say with certainty that
our National Army is able to restore its territorial integrity and
to protect the country’s sovereignty. This factor is a concern of
the Armenian lobby, its accomplices and political circles under the
influence of Armenians. And this factor is one of the main reasons
for a thorough updating of topics related to the Azerbaijani army,”
Hasanov said.
Azerbaijan is in a state of war with Armenia, he said. “Our Armed
Forces adequately fulfil its mission in a constant state of high
alert. Unfortunately, we face facts of soldier death not only in
military operations, but sometimes in the period of peace.
The report of the U.S. State Department stresses the dependence of
court system in Azerbaijan on the executive power, also notes rise of
torture against citizens in prisons and places of detention. According
to Hasanov, in the years of independence, Azerbaijan has taken
consecutive measures and systemic reforms to improve the justice
system and bring it in line with modern standards.
The document of the U.S. State Department also asserts that the
amendments made to the Azerbaijani laws create limitations for the
independent activity of NGOs. Hasanov called it as a subjective
approach. “In Azerbaijan, citizens’ initiatives are supported at
the state level, a wide arena is provided for these initiatives, and
funds are allocated from state budget for their realization. Today,
NGOs and public recommendations are used in the activities of all the
central bodies of executive power and public opinion is taken into
account when decisions are made. Additions and amendments to the Law
“On Non-Governmental Organizations” intend to ensure transparency in
this area,” Hasanov said.
As for the growth of “political prisoners “in the country, which
was also mentioned in the report of the U.S. State Department, the
“reports” of NGOs, which have sent this information to them, reflected
very contradictory figures, Hasanov believes.
“Some “human rights activists” are engaged in “production of political
prisoners” in Azerbaijan. This became an area of their business.
Unfortunately, referring to such “reports” and unfounded information
some authoritative agencies, try to misrepresent deliberately the
human rights and freedoms situation in Azerbaijan. I believe that
an objective response of sane MPs in the Council of Europe in early
this year, to Christopher Strasser’s report on “political prisoners”
put an end to speculations on this matter,” he said.