Azerbaijani Human Rights Commissioner Elmira Suleymanova received the representatives of the Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST). The press service of Human Rights Commissioner’s Office told APA that it was a meeting of familiarization.

Suleymanova informed the guests about the ombudsman institution. She said the ombudsman institution had been accredited with “A status” among 11 influential ombudsman institutions of Europe by the International Coordinating Committee of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The status empowered the institution to participate in preparing the reports presented by the government to the UN treaty bodies and Human Rights Council, and to make alternative reports.

Elmira Suleymanova answered the guests’ questions about the state of human rights of media representatives, as well as the imprisoned journalists in Azerbaijan. It was noted that the Human Rights Commissioner appealed to the pardon commission for pardoning journalists, the appeals were taken into consideration and some journalists were released. The Human Rights Commission also answered the questions about the amendments to Law on Nongovernmental Organizations (public unions and funds) discussed in the parliament.

The Human Rights Commission said NGOs, as well as the members of the National NGO Forum appealed to her to help solve the problem in connection with the amendments proposed to the law.

It was noted that taking into account the commitments undertaken by Azerbaijan according to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and policy pursued by the state towards improving civil society, the Human Rights Commissioner appealed to the parliament to stop or postpone till the fall session the discussion of the draft law restricting the activity of NGOs.

Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia consists of the diplomats of permanent representations of the EU member states. The party consists of the representatives of Czechia, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Romania, Belgium, Denmark, Slovakia, Lithuania, Estonia and other countries.