A draft law on annexes and amendments to draft law on “Freedom of Assembly” was discussed at the Parliament’s Standing Commission on Human Rights on Thursday.

Chairwoman of the Commission Rabiyyat Aslanova said the law adopted in 1998 was protected by the international legal acts, APA reports.

Azerbaijani member of the Council of Europe Venice Commission Latif Huseynov said three meetings had been held with the international organizations on annexes and amendments to the document. The Venice Commission made its last opinion on the document in December 2007, said Huseynov and noted that they had taken the principles of OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights into consideration as well. “Venice Commission said in its last opinion that if the draft law was adopted in this form, it would meet the European standards”. Huseynov said the annexes and amendments to be made to a number of articles of the document were of technical character. “According to the annexes and amendments, freedom of assembly is carried out not on the permission, but by the warning. The document recognizes freedom of assembly before the private property. Freedom of assembly can be restricted in the wedding and funeral ceremonies. There is no age limit for freedom of assembly. Non-citizens and foreigners also have a freedom of assembly”. Huseynov said ban of meetings was dropped from the draft law. “Freedom of Assembly can be banned only on the eve of preparations for the international events. A right of citizens to hold contra-meetings is also recognized. Holding assembly in front of any object diminishes from 300 meter to 200 meter. Freedom of assembly in temples and cemeteries is not banned”, he said.

To him, period of appeals has been prolonged date of freedom of assembly is not banned.
“Forces by policeman should be adequate with danger. Participants of assembly, who violate the law, should be held accountable”, he said.

MPs expressed their anxiety about amendments made to several Articles during discussions. Fazail Agamali noted that it was unacceptable to permit foreigners and citizens out of citizenship for freedom of assembly. Fazil Gazanfaroglu estimated freedom of assembly in front of special properties negatively. Ilyas Ismayilov taking into account of separation of religion from state noted that he was against to hold actions in temples. Gudrat Hasanguliyev added that he estimated holding actions outside of the city as limitation of freedom of assembly.