European Forum

EU leaders express concern over Azerbaijan sentences

On 12 and 13 October EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek expressed their concern over the Azerbaijan sentences of opposition activists, and referred to the lack of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in the country. The EU leaders’ statements come after the Monday’s (10th of October) imprisonment of four Azerbaijani opposition activists, the last of a group of 14 activists to be sentenced for taking part in the April 2 antigovernment demonstration that was broken up by police.

Buzek urged Azerbaijani authorities to release ‘all political prisoners’, emphasizing that the EU-Azerbaijan relationship ‘would become even stronger with more progress in human rights and political freedoms’. He also added that the European Union will remain committed to assisting Azerbaijan in fulfilling its own commitments with regard to democracy and the rule of law. Ashton called on Baku to ensure ‘a fair and transparent appeal process’ for the activists, stressing the independent court proceedings should be free of political interference.

Dozens of opposition supporters were arrested in the April 2 rally, organized by the Public Chamber umbrella opposition, in which they called for freedom and for the Azerbaijani President Aliyev's resignation. Since July thirteen of the activists were jailed, receiving sentences ranging from 1.5 to 3 years. The major charges against those imprisoned were ‘organising actions resulting in the violation of public order and resisting and using force against government officials’. Yalchin Imanov, the lawyer of Ahad Mammadli who was sentenced on Monday to 3 years of imprisonment, denounced the sentence and said the justice will prevail at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

The United States voiced their regret over the conviction of the Azerbaijani opposition activists.

Sources: RFE/RL Radio. Image: Flickr.