The definition of political prisoner
Written question
No.
667 to the Committee of Ministers
| Doc. 13632
| 09 October 2014
In reply to my question about political
prisoners in Azerbaijan, Mr Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister for Foreign Affairs
of Azerbaijan and Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers, stated
that “The Council of Europe does not
have a definition for political prisoners. When the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe creates criteria to define political
prisoners, I can respond to your question, otherwise it is very
hypothetical.” (Doc AS (2014) CR 34, report of 34th sitting
on 2 October 2014).
I am afraid Mr Mammadyarov’s answer is wrong:
- See Parliamentary Assembly Resolution
1900 (2012), adopted on 3 October 2012, entitled: “The definition of political prisoner “;
- See also, in this connection, the Committee of Ministers decision,
taken shortly after Azerbaijan’s accession to the Council of Europe,
which confirmed the existence of political prisoners in Azerbaijan: “The
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe welcomes the news
that the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan has issued... a
decree pardoning 89 political prisoners…” and
that Azerbaijan “undertook to release or
grant a new trial to all political prisoners” (CM/Del/Dec(2001)765bis, Item
2.4).
Mr Omtzigt,
To ask the Committee of Ministers:
- Does the Committee of Ministers agree with the above-cited
statement made by its Chairperson and is it able to give a full
answer to my original question, since its Chairperson clearly stated
that a list of political prisoners in Azerbaijan can be given, if
a definition exists.
