IN CASE OF AZERBAIJAN CE STEPS AWAY FROM ITS COMMITMENT TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY, RUSSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS PROPONENT SUPPOSES

PanARMENIAN.Net - The pre-election situation in Azerbaijan is the way that the issue deserves to be extraordinarily discussed in the Council of Europe (CE). Well-known human rights proponent, member of the Russian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the CE Sergey Kovalev told "Turan" Azeri agency. Instead of that, in his words, the PACE passes a totally illogical decision on postponing the discussion of the issue till after the presidential election in that country. It is absolutely apparent, S. Kovalev considers, that the CE and other European organizations compromise in issues in which rigidity should be displayed. "We become witnesses of priority of political interests and political expediency, which is serious deviation from the CE fundamental principles," he emphasized. On the whole, the human rights advocate expressed serious concern over the future of the South Caucasus, where serious breaches of democracy take place. Against that background the CE should be exacting towards its own members, Kovalev supposes. Touching upon the pre-election situation in Azerbaijan the human rights proponent characterized it as "ominous." "If there is autocracy in the country, it should be stated about officially. Besides, the situation there is absolutely inadmissible from the legal point of view. Thus, if the president is capable, why is not he in charge of the country? If he is not capable, why does not he convey his authorities to someone else. Instead of that he appoints his son prime minister and then the heir of the power. Such things do not happen in a democratic country," Sergey Kovalev concluded.