Let's support imprisoned Azerbaijani human rights defenders!

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" encourages the civil society to join the statement of protest against the political persecution of prominent human rights activists in Azerbaijan, which will be sent to the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Belarus next week.

The initiative has been already supported by the Center for Legal Transformation Lawtrend.

In the statement, adopted on July 31 on the occasion of the detention of Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, Leyla Yunus, who was given serious charges, it is stated that Azerbaijan systematically violates social and political rights, carries out politically motivated persecution of pro-democracy activists, public figures and human rights activists, who are prosecuted on fabricated charges.

For instance, about two months ago in Baku, human rights activist, head of election monitoring and democracy training center Anar Mammadli was sentenced to a prison term of 5.5 years, which is revenge of the authorities for exposing fraud during the presidential elections of 2013.

Particular outrage is caused by this repression due to the fact that since May 2014 Azerbaijan began the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Belarusian human rights activists have expressed solidarity with the imprisoned Azerbaijani colleagues and demand from the Aliyev regime an immediate release of all political prisoners. For the sake of their release HRC "Viasna" also calls on the EU and the U.S., despite the economic contacts with the Republic of Azerbaijan, to take all possible measures to put pressure on the government of this country.

Please, write about your wish to sign the petition, to the e-mail viasna@spring96.org