serious concern over the human rights situation in Azerbaijan, Tert.am reported.

The statement stresses the country’s persistent failure to honor its obligations and commitments, also urging Azerbaijan to show respect for the fundamental right to freedom of speech.

The statement said, “worrying reports of further deterioration of the situation with regards to the freedom of expression and assembly, continuous harassment, arbitrary detention and imprisonment routinely used by Azerbaijan authorities to silence the opposition and independent media, further restrictions on the work of NGOs and the severe crackdown on the civil society, demand the Parliamentary Assembly’s immediate action, using all available tools.”

“The Assembly has already called on the Azerbaijan authorities to honour its commitments and to respect the fundamental values of the Council of Europe. It is deplorable that no real progress has been made. Moreover, before and during the country’s Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, the situation has even deteriorated.”

“Therefore, we urge Azerbaijan to respect the freedom of the press and media, as well as the freedom of expression, to align relevant legislation, particularly the laws on defamation, on NGOs and on the freedom of assembly, with the Council of Europe standards and with the Court’s case law, in full co-operation with and taking into account the opinions of the Venice Commission and to act upon the recommendations made in the report on Azerbaijan by the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights.”

Earlier, a member of Armenian delegation to PACE Naira Zohrabyan condemned Azeri propaganda of violence in and outside the media at the PACE plenary session. The MP cited specific examples of anti-Armenian propaganda and racism in the Azeri media, urging PACE to enforce strict sanctions against Baku.