Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on December 26, 2012 pardoning 87 people. Seventy nine of them were released from a prison sentence, four from hard labor, and another four from penalties.
Among those pardoned are two "prisoners of conscience" - human rights activist Vidadi Iskenderli and PPFA member Shahin Hasanli.
In addition, 11 other people pardoned were from the list of local human rights defenders and political prisoners reported by PACE Rapporteur Christopher Strasser. They are Shamsi Abdullayev (case of Special Police Force), the Iranian television journalist Anar Bayramli, the regional correspondent of the newspaper Khural Aydin Janiyev, two religious leaders from Ganja, Azer Jabiyev and Fakhri Ilyasov (arrested in early 2011), human rights activist Taleh Khasmamedov, Jeyhun Farzullaev (he was convicted, along with the leader of National Statehood Party Nemat Panahli), Mammadali Aliyev (former chief of the Absheron district police office in the mid-1990s; he was wanted on suspicion of committing a number of crimes, including the attempt to overthrow the government, but was arrested in 2008, and in 2010 sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of premeditated murder), and the so-called "prisoners of the hijab" (participants in protests against the ban on wearing headscarves in schools) Mamed Askerov, Ilgar Musayev and Zaur Iskenderov. --0--
Politics
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A candidate in the municipal elections for the 23rd Nasimi-Sabail electoral district, activist Djamila Alisheva, has reported administrative barriers in conducting her campaign. She claims that the district election commission is refusing to provide the necessary forms for her authorized representatives.
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On January 15, the Tbilisi Court of Appeals rejected the appeal of Afghan Sadigov, the founder of the Azel TV website, who had protested his extradition to Azerbaijan. Sadigov’s wife, Sevinj Sadigova, stated that this was the final judicial instance in Georgia making a decision on the case, Turan reported. On the other hand, lawyer Mariam Kvelashvili informed Turan that the defense would continue legal steps to prevent the extradition of Afghan Sadigov. According to his wife, Afghan has been on hunger strike for 117 days, and his health is critical.
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Jamil Hajiyev, a member of the National Council of Democratic Forces, has reported continued pressure from the police. On January 10, during the trial of opposition figure Tofig Yagublu at the Baku Serious Crimes Court, Hajiyev unfurled a banner reading "Freedom for Political Prisoners!"
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On January 15, the Yasamal District Court rejected the motion to change the detention measure for Azer Gasymly, the director of the Institute of Political Management, his lawyer, Agyl Laidj, to Turan. "Azer Gasymly stated during the trial that the charges against him were fabricated and related to his socio-political activities," the lawyer said. An appeal will be filed against the court's decision.
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