UN High Commissioner for Human Rights calls Baku for the immediate release of political prisoners

Condemning the recent imprisonment of journalist and human rights activist Khadija Ismayilova, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein voiced his concern over the ongoing targeting and suppression of civil society and independent voices in Azerbaijan, UN reports.

“Despite my repeated calls to the highest State authorities, including the President himself, undue pressure, harassment and intimidation against journalists, human rights defenders and activists by State authorities continue to be reported in Azerbaijan,” Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also called for the immediate release of all those who have been deprived of their liberty simply for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association or peaceful assembly as well as for defending the rights of others.

On 1 September 2015, Baku Court of Grave Crimes handed down a 7.6 years prison sentence to the Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova. The court found her guilty of the Articles 179 (embezzlement and misappropriation), 192 (illegal business), 213 (tax evasion) and 308 (abuse of power) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Ismayilova was cleared from the article 125 (incitement to commit suicide) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. Earlier, the public prosecutor, Ramazan Hadiyev, had claimed 9 years of imprisonment for Khadija Ismayilova.

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