PACE Rapporteur on Political Prisoners on the results of the visit (UPDATED)

Baku/09.09.19/Turan: On Monday evening, information on the results of the speaker"s visit was posted on the Council of Europe website. The report noted that the visit was fruitful; a good basis for a future report was created. "I hope that by the end of the year the report will be submitted to the Legal Committee of the Council of Europe," said Ms Aevarsdottir. -16D-

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2019 September 09 (Monday) 16:21:20

PACE rapporteur visits political prisoners

Baku/09.09.19/Turan: PACE rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan, Thorhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir, during a visit to Baku on September 5-7, visited a number of convicted persons in prisons. In particular, she met with journalist Afgan Mukhtarli, leader of the Muslim Unity Movement Tale Bagirzade, his assistant Abbas Huseynov and Said Dadashbeyli, who are recognized as political prisoners by human rights activists.

According to Turan, a member of the working group on the compilation of a single list of political prisoners, investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova: "It is felt that the speaker has a systematic approach to solving the problem of political prisoners." According to Ismayilova, she understands the need to stop this vicious practice, some political prisoners are released, and others are imprisoned. Following the visit, the speaker is expected to make a statement.

During the visit, the PACE rapporteur also met with Azerbaijani officials and representatives of civil society. According to the latest data from Azerbaijani human rights activists, up to 120 political prisoners are being held in prisons in the country at the beginning of September. -16D06-