Free Azerbajan"s Human Rights Defender and Election Observer Anar Mammadli

Written declaration No. 564

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it Anar Mammadli is a highly respected human rights defender who has been co-operating with international institutions, among them the Council of Europe an d its rapporteurs for monitoring of Azerbaijan. His organization has conducted country-wide, independent ci tizens’ election observation in Azerbaijan since 2001. Following the October 9, 2013 Presidential elections EM DS has published critical reports on the electoral process.

EMDS is a member of the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE), to which Anar Mammadli was elected a member of the board on December 10th 2013. We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to guarantee a fair and transparent trial for Anar Mammadli, in full compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights .

Furthermore, we urge to immediately release him from pre-trial detention. Anar Mammadli has been fully co-operative during the investigations against EMDS and himself, and we consider that no just ification for the detention has been given.-0-