HRW: Berlin to call on Baku to release political prisoners

During the visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev to Berlin, German top-ranking officials should urge him to release political activists and critics of the government, who were wrongly sentenced. This appeal to the leaders of Germany was voiced by the international human rights organization "Human Rights Watch" (HRW).

According to the HRW, the German top-ranking officials should also urge Ilham Aliev to remove restrictions on the rights of the activists, recently released from prisons, and to reform the laws that significantly restrict the fundamental freedoms.

On June 7-8, 2016, Ilham Aliev will be visiting Berlin to meet the top-tanking officials of Germany and to open the German-Azerbaijani Economic Forum, jointly organized by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce, reports the press release disseminated by the HRW on June 6.

"The Ilham Aliev's visit is an important opportunity for the German top-ranking officials to raise their voices for justice. They should encourage President Ilham Aliev to put an end to the severe measures in the field of human rights in the country and to stop the persecution of dissidents," stated Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia Director at the HRW.

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