Today.Az » Politics » Venice Commission Opinion concerning legislation on NGOs in Azerbaijan
17 October 2011 [17:46] - Today.Az
Venice Commission of the Council of Europe expressed its opinion concerning the legislation on non-governmental organizations in Azerbaijan.
The opinion reads: “With regard to the registration, which in many countries is a rather formal procedure, the 2009 amended version of the Law on NGOs and the 2011 Decree have further added complications to already complicated and lengthy procedure. The requirement for international NGOs to create branches and representatives and have them registered is by itself problematic. As far as the liability and dissolutions of NGOs are concerned, the Law on NGOs poses problems of compatibility with Article 11 of the ECHR. There must be convincing and compelling reasons justifying the dissolution and/or temporary forfeiture of the right to freedom of association. Such interference must meet a pressing social need and be proportionate to the aims pursued”.
By letter dated 29 June 2011, the Chairperson of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the compatibility with human rights standards of the legislation on non-governmental organisations of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The Venice Commission focused on such problematic aspects of the amended 2009 Law on NGOs and the 2011 Decree as
• the registration of NGOs generally;
• the registration of branches and representatives of international NGOs specifically;
• the requirements relating to the content of the charters of NGOs and
• the liability and dissolution of NGOs.
In December, Venice Commission is expected to express its opinion concerning legislation on political parties in Azerbaijan.
/APA/
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