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EUROPEAN COMMISSION AGAINST RACISM AND INTOLERANCE REPORTS ON AZERBAIJAN
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 24 2007
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) publicized
a report on Azerbaijan in Paris today.
The report reads "Since the publication of ECRI's first report on
Azerbaijan on 15 April 2003, progress has been made in a number of the
fields highlighted in that report. In the area of education, access
to public school for children of non-citizens without legal status
has been improved and measures in favour of teaching human rights
as well as minority languages have been taken. A "State Programme
on improvement of the living conditions and raising employment for
refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)" was adopted in
2004 and is currently being implemented. A procedure for granting
the status of refugee was put in place and some asylum seekers have
already obtained refugee status on this basis.
However, a number of recommendations made in ECRI's first report have
not been implemented, or have only been partially implemented. There
are still cases of racist and inflammatory speech or the promotion of
religious intolerance by some media, members of the general public
and politicians, particularly against Armenians, Russian citizens
from Chechnya and members of some religious minorities. The unsolved
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh continues to have a negative impact
on the climate concerning Armenians.
"In this report, ECRI recommends that the Azerbaijani authorities
take further action in a number of areas. It recommends in particular
that they provide officials in the judicial system with more training
on the importance of adequately applying criminal law provisions to
combat racism and intolerance. It asks that a specialised body be set
up to combat racism and racial discrimination and that the civil and
administrative law provisions prohibiting racial discrimination be
strengthened. Measures should be taken to solve the problems linked
to the lack of legal status of some categories of non-citizens living
in Azerbaijan."
Khazar Ibrahim, head of Foreign Ministry press center told APA
Council of Europe as respected body should approach issues very
objectively. "There is no problem between confessions, ethnic groups
and nations in Azerbaijan. Tolerance and understanding culture in
Azerbaijan have its ancient roots. The only problem is conflict
with Armenia and this emerged because of Armenians policy. Armenian
aggressive policy led to the occupation of Azerbaijan territories
and deportation of many Azerbaijani people from their homes.
Unfortunately, Council of Europe ignores the policy of ethnic
cleansing carried out by neighboring Armenia, releases unrealistic
information on Azerbaijan. It said Azerbaijan suffers from lack of
information on racism and intolerance. This is absurd. In comparison
with other states, Azerbaijan does not need it as it is already part
of Azerbaijani history and culture," he underlined.
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 24 2007
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) publicized
a report on Azerbaijan in Paris today.
The report reads "Since the publication of ECRI's first report on
Azerbaijan on 15 April 2003, progress has been made in a number of the
fields highlighted in that report. In the area of education, access
to public school for children of non-citizens without legal status
has been improved and measures in favour of teaching human rights
as well as minority languages have been taken. A "State Programme
on improvement of the living conditions and raising employment for
refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)" was adopted in
2004 and is currently being implemented. A procedure for granting
the status of refugee was put in place and some asylum seekers have
already obtained refugee status on this basis.
However, a number of recommendations made in ECRI's first report have
not been implemented, or have only been partially implemented. There
are still cases of racist and inflammatory speech or the promotion of
religious intolerance by some media, members of the general public
and politicians, particularly against Armenians, Russian citizens
from Chechnya and members of some religious minorities. The unsolved
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh continues to have a negative impact
on the climate concerning Armenians.
"In this report, ECRI recommends that the Azerbaijani authorities
take further action in a number of areas. It recommends in particular
that they provide officials in the judicial system with more training
on the importance of adequately applying criminal law provisions to
combat racism and intolerance. It asks that a specialised body be set
up to combat racism and racial discrimination and that the civil and
administrative law provisions prohibiting racial discrimination be
strengthened. Measures should be taken to solve the problems linked
to the lack of legal status of some categories of non-citizens living
in Azerbaijan."
Khazar Ibrahim, head of Foreign Ministry press center told APA
Council of Europe as respected body should approach issues very
objectively. "There is no problem between confessions, ethnic groups
and nations in Azerbaijan. Tolerance and understanding culture in
Azerbaijan have its ancient roots. The only problem is conflict
with Armenia and this emerged because of Armenians policy. Armenian
aggressive policy led to the occupation of Azerbaijan territories
and deportation of many Azerbaijani people from their homes.
Unfortunately, Council of Europe ignores the policy of ethnic
cleansing carried out by neighboring Armenia, releases unrealistic
information on Azerbaijan. It said Azerbaijan suffers from lack of
information on racism and intolerance. This is absurd. In comparison
with other states, Azerbaijan does not need it as it is already part
of Azerbaijani history and culture," he underlined.