There took place a discussion about referendum, as part of the PACE autumn session, on constitutional reforms in Azerbaijan, dated back to September 26. The discussion was chaired by Nikolaj Villumsen. The chair first of all noted that he was ashamed for the PACE delegates, who considered that the referendum passed in an orderly way. "I am ashamed of them. The CE and the PACE should study in details the events in Azerbaijan, " he said. 

In the light of the justification of the recent referendum human rights activists defined the situation in Azerbaijan as a dictatorship. According to a representative of the National Center for International Studies, Leyla Aliyeva, all the norms of the European Convention were violated during the referendum. "Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the soviet republics, even the Soviet Azerbaijan, was more democratic than it is now. That referendum was a step backward," she said.

It is worthy to mention, that it was the third referendum in Azerbaijan during 15 years. Amendments to the Azerbaijani Constitution, according to experts, have been designed to legalize the transfer of the power by inheritance. " The Alievs change the Constitution of the Republic, as they consider it would fit to their family needs. How does Azerbaijan differ from the North Korea? There are journalists, human rights activists harassed in Azerbaijan," said the director of the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety Emin Huseynov.