Source - statement: Human Rights House Network

16 human rights organisations welcome the thorough report of the Committee of the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe, Doc 12270 31 May 2010 and urge the members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to adopt the Draft resolution.

Rafto Laureate – Malahat Nasibova
Journalist Malahat Nasibova received the Rafto Prize 2009 for her courages and unwavering struggle for a free and independent press. Risking her own safety, she reports on abuse of power, human rights violations and corruption in the isolated autonomous republic of Nakhchivan, a part of Azerbaijan.

Statement
The Rafto Foundation has issued a joint statement with 15 other human rights organisations, who appeal to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly to:　

-Call for a judicial reform in Azerbaijan to ensure that the courts can operate freely and independently.

-Urge the investigation of all claims of violence against defendants and deaths in custody, and to bring to justice those officials responsible for this violence, especially the murder of　 the editor, Elmar Huseynov.

-Call upon the Azerbaijani government to honour its commitment to release all political prisoners, including journalists imprisoned for political reasons, and to stop using the courts to imprison critics and opponents. As prisoners of conscience, Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade should be released immediately and unconditionally.

-Call upon the Azerbaijani government to fulfil its commitments to freedom of expression and take immediate, concrete steps to create an environment conducive to freedom of expression in Azerbaijan. Emphasise the need to cease the political use of legal provisions to silence critical voices.

-Urge the government to comply with the rulings of ECHR, including the recent judgment of the court regarding Eynulla Fatullayev. Ensure that he is released immediately and the new politically motivated charges against him are dropped.

-Call upon the Azerbaijani authorities to implement the Concluding Observation of the UN Committee on Human Rights (August 2009) and the UN Committee against Torture (November 2009).

-Call upon the Azerbaijani authorities to take effective measures to ensure that the Ombudsperson's Office is in practice a functioning, independent body, in compliance with the Paris Principles, relating to the status of national institutions of human rights.

-Remind the Azerbaijani authorities about the recent recommendations made by the Council of Europe' s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and make the reports public.

-Call upon the Azerbaijani authorities to respect freedom of assembly, association and the right to religious freedom in legislation and in practice.

-Urge the government of Azerbaijan to establish the alternative civil service.

-Call upon the Azerbaijani authorities to fulfil its obligations on national minorities.

-Encourage and facilitate dialogue between the Azerbaijani authorities and civil society to discuss major human rights concerns.

-Pay particular attention to the monitoring of the human rights situation in Nakhchivan.

-Urge the Council of Europe Rapporteur on the issue of political prisoners to visit Azerbaijan as soon as possible.

-Call upon the government of Azerbaijan to ensure the full realisation of the human rights of IDPs, especially the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association.

-　In all circumstances, remind the Azerbaijani authorities to comply with all the provisions of the Declaration on the Rights and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

For full statement, download the PDF.