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British House of Commons slams Baku's human rights record
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2012/12/22/grim-hc/
17:09 - 22.12.12
In a debate that lasted more than 90 minutes on Thursday, members of
the British House of Commons highlighted Azerbaijan's gruesome
violation of human rights and urged the British government to take
action about the continued oppression of journalists and political
opposition by official Baku, Asbarez reports.
The speakers, some using first-hand accounts, also highlighted the
heavy hand with which Azeri authorities oppress and stifle those who
dare to speak against the regime.
Most striking in the debate was that event those House of Commons
members and a government official who are blindly supporting
Azerbaijan, could not ignore the drastic abuses by official Baku.
In her speech, Helen Goodman said that the country has an unresolved
conflict with Armenia. She also spoke of the Eurovision 2012 Song
Contest and the internet governance forum, two major events that the
Azerbaijani capital, Baku hosted this year.
`That context may explain the human rights situation in Azerbaijan,
but it certainly does not excuse it. This year, Azerbaijan has played
host to two major international events. The first, as many people are
aware, was the Eurovision song contest. The second was the UN internet
governance forum that I attended. Those two events should have been an
opportunity for Azerbaijan to step forward and open up. Unfortunately,
the opposite seems to have happened, with the authorities clamping
down even more aggressively on journalists and critics of the regime,'
she said.
The full transcript of the debate can be found on the Asbarez website.
http://asbarez.com/107272/british-house-of-commons-slams-baku%E2%80%99s-rights-record/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2012/12/22/grim-hc/
17:09 - 22.12.12
In a debate that lasted more than 90 minutes on Thursday, members of
the British House of Commons highlighted Azerbaijan's gruesome
violation of human rights and urged the British government to take
action about the continued oppression of journalists and political
opposition by official Baku, Asbarez reports.
The speakers, some using first-hand accounts, also highlighted the
heavy hand with which Azeri authorities oppress and stifle those who
dare to speak against the regime.
Most striking in the debate was that event those House of Commons
members and a government official who are blindly supporting
Azerbaijan, could not ignore the drastic abuses by official Baku.
In her speech, Helen Goodman said that the country has an unresolved
conflict with Armenia. She also spoke of the Eurovision 2012 Song
Contest and the internet governance forum, two major events that the
Azerbaijani capital, Baku hosted this year.
`That context may explain the human rights situation in Azerbaijan,
but it certainly does not excuse it. This year, Azerbaijan has played
host to two major international events. The first, as many people are
aware, was the Eurovision song contest. The second was the UN internet
governance forum that I attended. Those two events should have been an
opportunity for Azerbaijan to step forward and open up. Unfortunately,
the opposite seems to have happened, with the authorities clamping
down even more aggressively on journalists and critics of the regime,'
she said.
The full transcript of the debate can be found on the Asbarez website.
http://asbarez.com/107272/british-house-of-commons-slams-baku%E2%80%99s-rights-record/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress