‘Political prisoner issue hangs on Azerbaijan like’ sword of Damocles ”
This year, unlike many previous years, Novruz holidayin Azerbaijan president did not sign a pardon order. Moreover, adopted last year and the Amnesty Act, which has just been implemented political only two of the detainees were considered. However, these days in Azerbaijan political many family members of detainees holiday On the eve of the amnesty, they expressed their expectations.
To lists compiled by local human rights activists according to(unit no list) currently in prisons across the country 10Around 0 political prisoner is serving a sentence. The list of the Union for the Freedom of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan includes 126 political prisoners unit The document of the Working Group on compiling the list contains the names of 112 people.
Member of the Pardon Commission under the President of Azerbaijan Alimammad NuriyevTuran”He said that, So far, there have been 67 pardon orders in the country: “As a result of these orders, about 9,000 people free was made. 20Since 03 President Ilham Aliyev signed 37 pardon orders and Up to 5,000 people were convicted free was made. A pardon order was signed last year and A large number of people have been pardoned.
According to him, this year is Novruz holidayThe lack of a pardon order on the eve of the amnesty may be due to the adoption of the Amnesty Act on November 5 last year: “The Amnesty Act was issued within four months. execution has been published and its execution ended only on March 5. This amnesty act applies to about 17,000 people.
But, according to A. Nuriyev according toThere is no definition of “political prisoner” for the Pardon Commission: “The Pardon Commission must treat everyone in accordance with the law and no distinction should be made. The Pardon Commission always takes an objective approach to the issue. Humanism, mercy, human rights and based on the principles of respect for liberties, Mr. presidentand this and or submits its opinion on another appeal. Mr. President, these people free decides whether to do so.
He said that, human rights activists, deputies and Ombudsmanhas a certain appeal: “These appeals are studied and processed and They will be considered as soon as the meetings of the Pardon Commission begin. The decision is within the competence of Mr. President.
The head of the Civil Rights Institute, Bashir Suleymanli, told RFE / RL that, 2020in government with political parties and When the dialogue process with civil society began, a one-time solution to the problem of political prisoners came up: “REAL Party participating in the dialogue process and representatives of civil society said that, this issue must be resolved once and for all and to the political views of the people according to persecution and arrest must be eliminated once and for all. The government had stated that, A process is underway on this issue. “
However, according to the human rights activist according toThere has been no progress on this issue: “The solution to this problem has stalled. Last year, very few political prisoners were released under the Amnesty Act.
He thinks that, The issue of political prisoners hangs over Azerbaijan as a “sword of Damocles” (threat). B. Suleymanli emphasizes that, Azerbaijan’s index of political freedoms in reports released by international organizations according to, is always blacklisted: “This is also undesirable. This is bad in terms of the country’s image, international relations, lobbying. Even in this context, sometimes biased and sometimes justified reports are spread against Azerbaijan.