UN Special Rapporteur calls on Azerbaijani authorities to release political prisoners prior to European Games

Michel Forst, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, has criticized the persecution of rights defenders in Azerbaijan. He has also called on the authorities of Azerbaijan to release them on the eve of the first European Games to be started in Baku on June 12.

"In the midst of preparations for the European Games to be held in Baku, the Azerbaijani authorities have stepped up their efforts to prosecute rights defenders by imprisoning them, forbidding them to travel abroad and freezing their bank accounts," Michel Forst declared in his statement posted on the UN's website on June 2.

All those actions, according to the UN Special Rapporteur, are being justified by fabricated or politically motivated charges.

The UN expert has drawn his attention to the specific cases of persecution of activists. For example, in his statement, he mentions the cases of rights defenders Intigam Aliev and Khadija Ismayilova, Anar Mamedli, Bashir Suleimanly, Elnur Mamedov, Leyla and Arif Yunus, and Rasul Jafarov.

"Azerbaijani activists should be free, and they deserve to be part of Europe during the festivities in Baku," the UN Special Rapporteur has concluded.

Baku officials have expressed their disagreement with the position voiced by Michel Forst. On June 3, Khikmet Gadjiev, the Spokesman of Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), issued the written comments, in which he stated that the statement made by Michel Forst "is detrimental to the spirit of cooperation and is a part of an ordered campaign launched by certain circles against Azerbaijan on the eve of the European Games."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.