Azerbaijan has no political prisoners, representatives of the authorities think

The problem of political prisoners is outside the agenda of the authorities of Azerbaijan. This statement was made by Ali Gasanov, head of the Public and Political Department of the President's Administration. According to him, all the persons who "played off" political prisoners, have been pardoned. "Today, in our country, which is now in the legal space of the Council of Europe (CE), there is no place for political prisoners," Gasanov said and added that the persons, dissatisfied with the decisions of the Azerbaijani courts, may apply to the European Court. As to those persons convicted on the eve of parliamentary elections, the authorities are not going to comment their cases until the end of the court proceedings. According to Gasanov, it may be estimated as "interference into judiciary."

Gasanov overturned the rumours about a great amnesty to be prepared. "At this moment, there is no need to do it, since so far quite a lot of people were released under multiple pardon decrees," Gasanov said. However, in the opinion of human rights activists, the issue of political prisoners in Azerbaijan is still actual. According to human rights activist Leila Yunus, it is not only still open, but continues to aggravate. She noted that analysis of performing this obligation indicates that out of the initial list of 716 names and additional list of 107 supposed political prisoners, drafted after accession of the country to the CE, 78 inmates are still in custody.

We remind you that solving the problem of political prisoners in Azerbaijan was one of the liabilities taken by the country prior entering the Council of Europe (CE). In particular, this liability assumed release or holding new fair trials on the cases of persons, who were recognized to be political prisoners by human rights organizations.