OGTAY ASADOV DOES NOT RULE OUT THAT IMPRISONED AZERBAIJANI JOURNALISTS WILL BE RELEASED SOON

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 3 2007

"There is no problem of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
had commitments while admission to the Council of Europe and lists of
political prisoners were made. The problem concerning these lists has
been completely solved. There is a relevant working group. This group
is engaged in the issues on violations of law. Azerbaijan is forming
a secular state, its judicial system is improving and problems are
solved by courts," speaker of Azerbaijani parliament Ogtay Asadov
told journalists in Strasbourg, APA’s Europe bureau reports.

He said that all commitments vis-a-vis the Council of Europe concerning
political prisoners have been implemented.

"As to the problem of journalists, we pay attention to it. There
are serious law violations in these issues and we will again concern
ourselves with it," he said.

Ogtay Asadov said the journalists were arrested for illegal acts,
and did not rule out that they could be pardoned soon.

Mr. Linden stated that he can not say in which countries political
prisoners exist.

"I want to underline again that PACE Monitoring Committee has not
been established for punishing any country, this committee does not
play such role. This Committee is observing the processes, review
them and it is not for punishing," he said.

Ogtay Asadov said that if it was organization for punishing states,
it would punish Armenia for occupying 20% of our regions.

"Armenia also has commitments for peaceful solution of the conflict.

When I was in Armenia, I said that this country has no any relations
with two bordering countries. This is very bad indicator for their
children. Armenians living abroad do not think about their compatriots
living in Armenia," Mr. Linden answered.

Ogtay Asadov will have meeting with head of PACE Subcommittee on
Nagorno Karabakh Lord Russell Johnston and heads of political groups to
PACE today. He will meet with PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteur
for Azerbaijan Andres Herkel and other senior officials tomorrow.