ALI HUSEYNOV: "STATEMENT BY ANY EMBASSY OR REPRESENTATIVE OF FOREIGN MINISTRY ON ARREST OF BLOGGERS IS THE INTERFERENCE IN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS OF AZERBAIJAN"- INTERVIEW
APA
Nov 19 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev – APA. APA’s interview with chairman of
parliament’s committee for legal policy and statehood Ali Huseynov
-The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe appointed new rapporteur for Azerbaijan yesterday. We would
like to know opinion.
-The rapporteurs for Azerbaijan should be unbiased, properly assess
the ongoing processes in the country and describe it in their reports.
We are observing the ongoing processes, tension, civil confrontation in
Armenia. But the rapporteurs for this country shut their eyes to this,
always try to introduce the country in positive aspect. We do not need
someone to demonstrate different opinion on the democratic reforms in
Azerbaijan, our commitments vis-a-vis the Council of Europe. We want
the ongoing processes in Azerbaijan to be reported objectively. So,
we want the new rapporteur to be unbiased. We have witnessed biased
attitude much. We hope the new rapporteur will be unbiased and we
will establish effective relations.
-When will the appointment of the rapporteurs for Azerbaijan finish?
-Azerbaijan is a country under monitoring. By the way, we always raise
the issue to stop the monitoring process. There will be rapporteur
for the country, as the monitoring process exists.
-Secretary General of the Council of Europe and embassies of several
countries in Azerbaijan expressed severe reaction to the court ruling
on the bloggers. What is your attitude toward it?
-First of all, we should differentiate among the position of
international organizations, embassies and foreign ministries.
Azerbaijan is the member of the Council of Europe. We have chosen
the way of integration into Europe. We have a number of commitments
vis-a-vis this organization. They are connected both with legislation
and human rights. So, it is normal hat the Secretary General of the
Council of Europe expresses his view on the above-mentioned case. They
express their views on the election process, state of human rights. It
is quite another matter whether this view is negative or positive. It
is generally acceptable that the Secretary General of the Council
of Europe expresses view on any problem. But I do not agree to the
severity of this view. There is some contradiction here. The Secretary
General expresses his concern over the strictness of the court ruling.
Then it is noted that this ruling is connected with the expression of
speech, not with hooliganism. If the question is the strictness of the
punishment, it means that the essence of the ruling, i.e. accusation
is accepted. It turns out that they principally admit the accusation
on hooliganism. But they are concerned that the punishment is strict.
So, there is contradiction in the statement.
I think they should take more gentle position on this issue. They had
to learn the essence of issue and then to express opinion. This idea
should be more balanced.
– How do you characterize the reaction of embassies?
– Regarding embassies of some countries, it is other question. First of
all, it is not understandable how the embassy or foreign ministry
official of some countries could issue such statement. It is
interference in our domestic affairs. Officer of Azerbaijani Army
Ramil Safarov was arrested in Hungary and was sentenced very hardly.
Do we put the Hungarian court system under the question? We search for
legal ways to assist him. As a lawyer, I think that Ramil Safarov’s
conviction was very hard. It should be not a life sentence, but other
sanction. But our embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t
give a note. It means that statement of one country about the legal
system, human rights and other domestic issues of another country
is confronting with the international law. It was correct that the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan expressed its opinion.
Generally Norway takes biased position on the processes in Azerbaijan.
Non-governmental organizations established and funded by Norway
are also meddling in the election and other processes. But I have
different opinion about Germany. We have very close relations
with Germany. It has unbiased position on many issues, including
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. But there was hasty decision as a result
of relations created by different correspondences. It is abnormal
case when the government agencies show such position and it should
be ended. The situation is clear and legal ways should be found
in this condition. Some people say that there is an experience of
arrest of bloggers in other countries. But there is concrete charge
on hooliganism. People can not be arrested for freedom of expression
in all countries, including Azerbaijan. There are not such cases
in our countries. Therefore I am against such parallels. The charge
is concrete and it is an element of hooliganism. If someone doesn’t
accept it, he must prove its opposition. The approach should be so.
– When will the parliament approve new Human Rights Commissioner?
– First of all, I have to say that amendments to the Constitutional law
on this issue should be put to vote six months later. The six-month
term has not expired yet. The parliament didn’t receive any proposal
or candidacy for the new Human Rights Commissioner.
– Can the incumbent Human Rights Commissioner be elected for the
next term?
– It will be decided by the parliament vote. I have to say that the
law allows that.