PACE: No political prisoners in Azerbaijan
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted on Wednesday evening to reject a draft resolution on "the follow-up to the issue of political prisoners in Azerbaijan", presented by Christoph Strässer (Germany, SOC) on behalf of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.
PACE also encouraged the authorities of Azerbaijan "to step up their efforts to implement the legislation in the areas crucial for the proper functioning of democratic institutions" and, against this background, decided to continue the monitoring of the country's obligations and commitments.
The Armenian delegation finds the decision of the Strasbourg-based structure to be the result of Azerbaijani lobby.
"First, the decision shows Azerbaijan's complete victory over democracy. Second, it proves that PACE is downgrading - something that I have been repeating in the last two years," David Harutyunyan, Head of the Armenian delegation to PACE, told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
