Amnesty International on positive changes in Azerbaijan

The last two months have brought hope for some improvement in the human rights situation in Azerbaijan, said the well-known human rights organization Amnesty International.

On April 19 the Azerbaijani authorities finally allowed the former prisoners of conscience Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus to  travel to the Netherlands for treatment,  and they  finally reunited with  their  daughter Dinara.

 Before that, in accordance with a decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev on March 17, 10 prisoners of conscience  were released: Members of the youth movement NIDA Rashadat Akhundov, Rashad Hasanov, Omar Mamedov and Mamed Azizov; defenders Rasul Jafarov and Anar Mammadov Gilal Mammadli, as well as opposition activists Yadigar Sadigov, Siraj Karimov, and Tofig Yagublu.

Human rights activist and journalist Tal Hasmamedova and  a journalist  Rauf Mirkadirov  were also released, they were in prison on politically motivated charges.

On March 28 was released Intigam Aliyev,  a known human rights lawyer and critic of the government. He was arrested in August 2014, and in April 2015  he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on fabricated charges of tax evasion, illegal entrepreneurship and abuse of power.

Despite the fact of  the release of 11 prisoners of conscience and the abolition of the ban on travel for Leila and Arif  Yunus  are  wonderful news,  in Azerbaijani prisons still remain seven prisoners of conscience. Amnesty International will continue to campaign for their immediate and unconditional release, the report said. -16D-