OSCE notes human dimension commitments

The OSCE Office in Baku said Friday it was monitoring very closely Azerbaijan's implementation of its international human rights commitments following remarks by an Azeri minister.

In an interview on local Space TV, Azeri Education Minister Misir Mardanov expressed his concern about the participation of students and pupils in opposition rallies.

"Azerbaijan, as an OSCE participating state, has undertaken to comply with the tenets of the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE documents relating to the human dimension in order to strengthen respect for and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms", Ambassador Peter Burkhard, Head of the OSCE Office in Baku, has said.

“Freedom of assembly and expression is a fundamental human right, a cornerstone of democratic society and a prerequisite for lasting stability in all participating states”, Ambassador Burkhard commented. "These freedoms are guaranteed by law and their protection and promotion is the first responsibility of government."

Ambassador Burkhard recalled that the CSCE Copenhagen Document, adopted in 1990 and also signed by Azerbaijan, stated that "everyone will have the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration. Any restrictions, which may be placed on the exercise of these rights, will be prescribed by law and consistent with international standards.*