Human rights activists welcome appointment of PACE's Special Rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani human rights activists and oppositional politicians have welcomed the decision of the PACE Committee on Legal Matters and Human Rights to restore the post of Special Rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan and appoint German MP Christoph Stresser thereto.

"At last our long-term efforts towards restoration of Special Rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan have brought success. Since June 2005, we've sending applications to this end to every PACE session," Leila Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, made her comments to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Now, the authorities of Azerbaijan would not deny the existence of political prisoners in the country, Ms Yunus believes. She has reminded that in due time three experts working under the Secretary General of the Council of Europe elaborated criteria for referring convicts to the category of political prisoners. Under these criteria, a big group of prisoners (the so-called cases of "Generals", "former OPON fighters" and of ex-Prime Minister Sureta Guseinov, - note of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent) were recognized to be political prisoners.

"Unfortunately, arrests are still going on these cases. In particular, Nizami Shakhmuradov, former commander of the OPON (special-purpose police unit, - note of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent), who in October 2007 returned to Baku to take part in his mother's funeral and right after surrendered to the authorities, last September was convicted to 7 years of imprisonment," Leila Yunus said.