Doc. 8919
2 January 2001

Political prisoners in Azerbaijan

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Jurgens and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       The Assembly is deeply concerned about the great number of persons detained in Azerbaijan for purely or principally political reasons. In accordance with the information received from non-governmental organisations in Azerbaijan – which appears to be serious and reliable – there are some 750 of these "political" prisoners.

2.       It recalls its Opinion No. 222 (2000), adopted on 28 June 2000, on Azerbaijan's application for membership of the Council of Europe, in which it had noted as one of Azerbaijan's commitments "to release or to grant a new trial to those prisoners who are regarded as "political prisoners" by human rights protection organisations, especially Mr Iskander Gamidov, Mr Alikram Gumbatov and Mr Raqim Gaziyev".

3.       The Assembly notes that, more than six months later there have not been any retrials to review their sentences, and although a few dozen prisoners have been released, they do not include the most important ones and many remain in prison.

4.       There are reports that the health and the conditions of detention of some of these prisoners have considerably deteriorated, for instance for those who have been transferred to Gobustan prison.

5.       The Assembly has been informed of recent action by four important non-governmental organisations in Azerbaijan in favour of Mr Raqim Gaziyev, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment and whose condition is constantly deteriorating.

6.       It may be recalled that, in 1997, the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights set up a small working party which visited Irish Republican prisoners in a number of British prisons. Similar action could be undertaken to look into the situation of the political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

7.       The Assembly therefore makes an urgent appeal to the Azerbaijan authorities to honour their commitment as set out in the above-mentioned Assembly Opinion No. 222 (2000).

8.       It recommends that the Committee of Ministers, before taking its final decision on the admission of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe, take fully into account the situation of the political prisoners in that country.

Signed : ¹

Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC

Bindig, Germany, SOC

Bruce, United Kingdom, LDR

Cilevics, Latvia, SOC

Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR

Enright, Ireland, EPP/CD

Ivanov, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Jansson, Finland, LDR

Lippelt, Germany, LDR

Marty, Switzerland, LDR

McNamara, United Kingdom, SOC

Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group