Azerbaijani rights defenders ask Ashton to help in release of political prisoners

In Azerbaijan, the organizers of the campaign "Song for Democracy" have sent an appeal to Catherine Ashton, High EU Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, who plans to visit Baku next week.

The appeal to Ms Ashton focuses on the problems of concern to local human rights activists and asks to discuss them with the leadership of Azerbaijan. In particular, to assist in releasing political prisoners, Rasul Djafarov, the coordinator of the Human Rights Club and one of the authors of the appeal, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Specifically, the appeal mentions Avaz Zeinalov, the editor of the newspaper "Khural", young activists Jabbar (Djabbar) Savalan and Bakhtiyar Gadjiev, 14 oppositionists convicted in connection with the rally on April 2, human rights defender Vidadi Iskenderov and six activists of the Islamic Party sentenced to long prison terms.

Ms Ashton will visit Azerbaijan on November 15-16 to meet the Foreign Minister and President Ilham Aliev.

The initiators of the campaign "Song for Democracy", which was earlier called "Songs of Freedom in Non-Free Country", are the Institute for Peace and Democracy, Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety, Human Rights Club and the Alliance "In Defence of Political Freedoms". In total, today the campaign is supported by about 20 NGOs.