EUROPEAN COURT RULING ‘NOT BINDING’ ON AZERBAIJAN
news.az
April 27 2010
Azerbaijan
The first deputy speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament has described
the European Court of Human Rights as ‘politicized’.
‘International organizations including the European Court accuse
Azerbaijani courts of politicization, while the European Court
is politicized and takes decisions to put pressure on a country,’
Ziyafat Asgarov said at a parliamentary session today.
‘Three years ago Azerbaijani displaced persons from Lachin sent
a complaint to the European Court. The Armenian side also sent an
application there a year ago. As a result, they are scheduled for
consideration in September this year. The aim is to reduce the claims
of the Azerbaijani displaced persons to zero,’ Asgarov said.
‘The decisions of the European Court of Human Rights are not binding
on Azerbaijan, they are only recommendations,’ he claimed.
On 22 April the European Court of Human Rights published its decision
on the case of convicted Azerbaijani editor Eynulla Fatullayev. The
Strasbourg Court ruled that Azerbaijan had twice violated the right to
freedom of expression and information and had violated the right to
a fair trial including the presumption of innocence of the European
Convention on Human Rights. The Court ruled that Azerbaijan should
release Eynulla Fatullayev immediately.
Azerbaijan has said that it will refer the ruling to the European
Court’s Grand Chamber for reconsideration.