Human Rights Centre of Azerbaijan welcomed the release of 14 political prisoners, and believes that the order on pardon of 17 March is an important and necessary step to overcome the crisis that has developed in the relationship between government and civil society after the change in legislation and a number of arrests of human rights defenders.
The HRC notes that currently, after the liberation of six human rights defenders, one of them - the head of the Legal Education Society Intigam Aliyev is still in custody. He is charged with similar charges against human rights defenders released today.
"We hope that our colleague will soon be released," said the head of the Center Eldar Zeynalov.
According to Zeynalov, a pardon is another step to address the more general problem of political prisoners. Over the past 1.5 years a difficult dialogue is ongoing between human rights defenders and the authorities in the framework of the Joint Working Group on Human Rights.
"However, in the preamble to the order the president stressed that the document had been adopted, including, on the basis of complaints of human rights organizations, it shows that this dialogue has the potential," Zeynalov said.
The HRC notes that in the years 2014-2016, thank to due to the Joint Working Group on Human Rights, 37 prisoners included different political lists were released before time.—0—
Social
-
The COP29 conference concluded in Baku, leaving behind a trail of controversy and criticism. Renowned historian Jamil Hasanli characterized the event as a vivid reflection of governance problems in Azerbaijan under President Ilham Aliyev. Hasanli, a staunch critic of the administration, described COP29 as an expensive spectacle that exposed systemic failures and intensified international scrutiny of Azerbaijan's political and economic structures.
-
President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola has invited Azerbaijani economist and political prisoner Professor Gubad Ibadoglu to Strasbourg to attend the 2024 Sakharov Prize award ceremony. The invitation, delivered by Member of the European Parliament Michael Bloss at the COP29 climate conference, comes as Ibadoglu remains under house arrest and prohibited from leaving Azerbaijan.
-
An operation at Istanbul Airport has revealed an incident that could strain diplomatic relations. Kahraman Shamil oglu Mammadov, alleged to be an Azerbaijani military attaché, was caught with 70 kilograms of gold. According to Turkish media, Despite Mammadov's claims that he is a diplomat, it is believed that the incident is related to gold smuggling.
-
On a brisk November evening, the residents of Baku gathered along the waterfront of the Caspian Sea, stunned by what appeared to be the washed-up body of a colossal whale. At 16 meters long, the creature’s seemingly lifeless form and pungent odor left many convinced they were witnessing an ecological tragedy. By that night, however, the mysterious visitor had departed, loaded onto a cargo platform and whisked away to the airport.
Leave a review