US Mission to OSCE called to release political prisoners in Azerbaijan

Warsaw/23.09.17/Turan: At the 2017 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw, the US Mission to OSCE has made a statement noting facts of violation of human rights in some countries.

Concerning Azerbaijan the statement calls to release political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

"During the first week, we welcomed the release of Mehman Aliyev, the director of Turan, the last independent news agency in Azerbaijan. We also welcome the Azeri government"s decision to drop charges against opposition leader Natig Jafarli and to release Faig Amirli, financial director of the Azadliq newspaper. We call on the government to drop the remaining charges against Aliyev and to lift travel bans against him and others, including investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova and defense lawyer Intigam Aliyev. Over 145 people are estimated to remain incarcerated on politically motivated charges, including Ilgar Mammadov, leader of the REAL political movement, who remains imprisoned despite a ruling in his favor by the European Court of Human Rights. They, too, should be freed expeditiously, without condition", - reads the statement. -02D-