ARMENIA MUST LOSE VOTING RIGHTS AT PACE: MEMBER
E. Rustamov
Trend News Agency
Jan 12, 2009
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan will support rescinding Armenia’s voting rights at the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)."Whether or
not to rescind Armenia’s voting rights at PACE’s January session
is an issue of human rights," member of Azerbaijan’s parliamentary
delegation to PACE Gultekin Hajibeyli told TrendNews. "If human rights
are violated and there are victims, then Azerbaijan will act according
to European values."
"If we support punishing those who infringe human rights, then
Armenia must lose its vote," Hajibeyli said.On Dec. 17, PACE proposed
rescinding Armenia’s voting rights due to a biased investigation
into a criminal case in Yerevan on March 1-2. The Armenian delegation
consists of 8 members of parliament.
The Armenian opposition protested the results of the presidential
elections in the center of Yerevan after Feb. 20. Law enforcement
agencies attacked protesters on March 1 – killing 10 and wounding 265.
In the aftermath, Armenia was told to follow two basic requirements –
to free political prisoners and investigate the incident.
According to Hajibeyli, the Armenian delegation will lose voting
rights at the session, even though the Armenian lobby is known to
help the country out of such difficult situations.
"I believe PACE will adhere strongly to its principles and prove that
it’s a real organization that protects democracy and human rights,"
said Hajibeyli.