Sessions of the Amnesty Commission Begin: Are Significant Results Expected?

Meetings of the Amnesty Issues Commission under the President of Azerbaijan are set to resume, with expectations that a new presidential amnesty decree will be issued.

The last such decree was signed on May 25 of the previous year, ahead of Independence Day (May 28). That decree covered 154 individuals, of whom 63 were released from imprisonment, while the sentences of 52 others were reduced by half. The remaining individuals were mostly freed from electronic monitoring or had their sentences commuted in other ways.

However, human rights activists stated that none of the individuals they recognize as political prisoners were included in that decree. Over the past few years, only a small number of individuals considered political prisoners have been released through amnesty decrees.

Alimammad Nuriyev, a member of the Amnesty Issues Commission under the Azerbaijani President, told Turan that their meetings will commence on February 12. According to him, the commission will review incoming petitions, but the timing of the amnesty decree remains uncertain: "This is within the authority of the president. I do not have any information on how many sessions will be held or how many petitions have been received. However, if the Amnesty Commission's meetings are beginning, an amnesty decree can be expected at some point this year."

Meanwhile, human rights defender Asif Yusifli told Azadlıq Radiosu that amnesty decrees are largely symbolic:
"Even in previous years, they would release three to five political prisoners while keeping the rest behind bars."

He pointed out that arrests are still ongoing: "Just a few days ago, journalists Shamshad Agha and Shahnaz Beylergizi were arrested. Before that, journalists collaborating with MeydanTV were also detained. The process is such that there is little hope that the government intends to release those it wants to keep imprisoned."

According to Yusifli, the upcoming amnesty decree may only cover a handful of individuals recognized as political prisoners:  "Even if they release some, it will likely be three to five individuals who were arrested long ago and whose sentences are nearing completion. The government's actions indicate that the amnesty decree will not apply to a significant number of political prisoners."

Since November 2023, around 20 journalists have been arrested in Azerbaijan in groups, mostly on smuggling charges. However, all of them deny the allegations, claiming that their arrests are linked to their professional activities and politically motivated orders. Later, charges against many of them were reportedly escalated.

According to lists compiled by local human rights organizations, there are currently around 330 political prisoners in Azerbaijani prisons. Officials, however, consistently emphasize that no one in the country is imprisoned solely for their professional activities or political reasons. Authorities assert that the individuals listed as political prisoners have been convicted for actual crimes.

Despite this, international human rights organizations continue to call on the Azerbaijani government to release those they believe have been unjustly detained.