Samad Seyidov: Some NGOs trying to link activities of Joint Working Group on Human Rights with political prisoners

Baku. 15 April. REPORT.AZ/ "Some NGOs are trying to link the activities of the Joint Working Group on Human Rights with "political prisoners". This issue is in their interest. But to bind the activities of the Joint Working Group only with "political prisoners" would not be correct.

The Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee for International Relations and Interparliamentary Ties, Samad Seyidov said in his interview with Report.

According to him, the Joint Working Group was established at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland: "Some stakeholders are trying to present it in a different form.

Workgroup name is also associated with human rights.Therefore, the statements of some NGOs about the Joint Working Group have no importance".

According to S. Seyidov, although the exact date of the next meeting of the Working Group is unknown, it continues to operate. S.Seyidov also clarified the information on intention to submit a list in the Commission of Pardons. He noted that the issue was not within the mandate of the working group: "The working group is to discuss issues of human rights in Azerbaijan and abroad.In this context we discuss issues related to persons, some NGOs called "political prisoners", and if necessary, express our opinions".Some time ago there was a joint working group on human rights, which included government officials, MPs and human rights defenders.The group discusses the situation of human rights and cases of distressed prisoners.