17:48, 29 March 2004

US welcomes release of prisoners in Azerbaijan, urges more action

Deputy US Representative to the OSCE Douglas Davidson urged the Azerbaijan authorities to settle the problem of people arrested in the period after the October 15 presidential election as soon as possible. In his speech at a session of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, Mr Davidson said that the United States welcomed the recent pardoning of 129 prisoners in Azerbaijan, 26 of whom had been identified as political prisoners, including former Prime Minister Surrat Huseynov.

At the same time, the diplomat noted that none of those pardoned and released were among the detainees arrested following the October 15 and 16 post-election demonstrations. "We have raised these cases in the Permanent Council on several occasions. While many cases have been brought to completion, I would here reiterate our call to the Azerbaijan judicial authorities to resolve all the remaining post-election detainee cases quickly, fairly and transparently, in accordance with international standards and due process," Mr Davidson said.

Editors note: See also the article "Council of Europe calls upon Ilkham Aliyev to settle problem of political prisoners once and for all".

Source: Rosbalt News Agency