PACE wants concessions from Azerbaijan to accept Baku back

PanARMENIAN.Net - PACE co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan, Norwegian MP Lise Christoffersen has said that Azerbaijani authorities must make certain concessions and fulfill a number of requirements so that the country can return to PACE.

In late January, PACE has effectively suspended Azerbaijan’s membership in the Strasbourg-based legislative body, citing, among other things, last September’s Azerbaijani military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Asked about the concessions, Сristoffersen said that "the Azerbaijani authorities must co-operate with the Assembly and create conditions for the co-rapporteurs to work in the country without hindrance, including prison visits. Azerbaijan must also fulfill its human rights obligations, Turan reports.

When the Co-Rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee were in Azerbaijan from 3-7 June last year, they were not allowed to visit political prisoners.

Cristoffersen pointed out that although the Minister of Justice of Azerbaijan promised that they would be given such an opportunity during their next visit, they were not allowed there again on 20-21 November.

The prohibition of the Monitoring Committee's co-rapporteurs to work freely in Azerbaijan and the non-admission of other PACE rapporteurs Hannah Bardell and Paul Havana to the country became the reason for depriving the Azerbaijani delegation of the right to vote at the January 2024 PACE session.