Top U.S. Senator speaks up on detention of rights defenders In Azerbaijan

A Veteran U.S. Senator on Friday urged the Azerbaijani government to release all political prisoners in the country, TURAN"s Washington correspondent report.

In his statement Democrat Patrick Leahy, one of the longest-serving Senators, and the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reminded his previous concerns about the Azerbaijani government's harassment and imprisonment of human rights defenders, journalists, and other civil society activists.

Since last year, he said, the state of human rights in Azerbaijan 'has further deteriorated amid condemnation from President Obama and officials of other governments, as well as the European Union and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.'

"I, too, wish to reiterate my dismay at the mistreatment of these brave individuals, and call for the release of all political prisoners in Azerbaijan, including Leyla and Arif Yunus," he noted.

Imprisoned and denied access to justice for over a year, Leyla and Arif Yunus are examples of the many activists and critics of the government who President Ilham Aliyev seeks to silence.

Their arrest last year coincided with the release of their report on politically motivated detentions, and since then their health has reportedly suffered significantly.

Recently they were sentenced to eight and a half and seven years in prison, respectively, and face further prosecution.

"Leyla and Arif Yunus, and all other political prisoners in Azerbaijan including journalist Khadija Ismayilova who on September 1st was sentenced to seven and a half years, should be freed immediately," the Senator noted.

"In addition, and in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights to which it is party, the Government of Azerbaijan, which recently chaired the Council of Europe, should uphold the provisions of its own Constitution and end the persecution of civil society members, journalists, and political activists who are guilty of nothing more than peaceful expression," he said.

A.Raufoglu

Washington, D.C.