OSCE PA chair: Azerbaijan knows no shame in violating OSCE standardsAugust 14, 2015 - 11:50 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), condemned the sentencing of Azerbaijani rights activist Leyla Yunus and her husband, Arif, to lengthy prison terms and called on authorities to urgently begin respecting their OSCE commitments in the spheres of human rights and civil liberties. “I am deeply saddened to learn of today’s politically motivated court decision to lock away one of Azerbaijan’s most prominent and courageous human rights defenders, Leyla Yunus, and her husband, Arif. The Azerbaijani authorities apparently know no shame in violating the basic OSCE standards that should have protected the Yunuses, such as respect for human rights, freedom of speech and rule of law. The anti-democratic free fall continues in Baku, and I urge the government to immediately reverse this trend,” Santos said. Santos also noted that both Leyla and Arif Yunus are suffering from serious health conditions. “The Azerbaijani government, however, has an opportunity to make a powerful statement of a positive nature by releasing the Yunuses on humanitarian grounds. I appeal to the authorities to consider such a decision,” she said. Chairperson Santos also reiterated her request to the Azerbaijani authorities to visit Leyla Yunus and other detained rights defenders and journalists in the country. She expressed her continued openness to direct engagement with the authorities on these cases. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |