There will be pardon and amnesty, Novella Jafaroglu

Baku / 15.02.18 / Turan: Novella Jafaroglu, the Head of the Dilyara Aliyeva Women's Rights Protection Society, believes that the expectations of the presidential decree on clemency and the parliamentary amnesty act are justified in the near future. She said this in an interview with the Turin program "Cətin sual" ("Difficult issue").

Being asked how well the media reports about the expected pardon for Novruz holiday, Jafaroglu said that they are justified. "This year there will be presidential elections and the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani People's Republic. Therefore, we are 100% sure that there will be amnesty and pardon," she said. In her opinion, a group of convicts may be released to Novruz, and by the end of the year all political prisoners will be pardoned and amnestied. "Today, none of the political prisoners poses a threat to the authorities. A journalist should write articles, and will always do this. Whether they want it or not, the journalist will always perform his professional work. The arrested journalists will continue to write after they are released. The authorities must understand and accept that the journalist will criticize them.

If the journalist insults, interferes in private life, then he should be brought to justice, but journalists should not be persecuted for expressing their opinion," Jafaroglu said. The authorities must take radical reforms to ensure freedom of NGO activity. The authorities must understand that NGOs are doing important and necessary work and restricting their work is to harm themselves, she said.

How much do the authorities listen to the opinion of independent human rights organizations, is there a dialogue? Answering this question, the human rights activist said that there is a dialogue. "For example, when Mehman Aliyev (director of Turan agency) was arrested, we addressed to many people, they put them to the president, the first vice-president. If there was no dialogue, Mehman would not be released. Dialogue is always needed. Whether they want it or not, we need to enter into a dialogue, talk with the government," Jafaroglu said.

"We solve many issues with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is easier to obtain a meeting with Ramil Usubov. Many questions, the issues of ordinary people, we solve through him. We can solve the problem with the team of Zakir Garalov (Prosecutor General), Rustam Usubov (First Deputy Prosecutor General)," Jafaroglu said.

At the same time, Jafaroglu noted the problems with the activities of NGOs, which face the organization headed by her. Tougher legislation, the introduction of restrictions on grants, creates great difficulties. It has become more difficult to work in the regions, to participate in trials as public advocates. "Now we can not protect the rights of low-income people who do not have the money to hire lawyers," Jafaroglu said.-06D-