Representatives of Azerbaijani civil society have addressed the Bureau of  the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to express deep concern over the continued imprisonment of people in Azerbaijan for exercising their right to freedoms of expression, assembly and association.

In a letter to the Bureau, Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety fully supported the motion introduced by Mr. Michael McNamara, an Irish MP which called on the Assembly to address concerns regarding the implementation of fundamental freedoms and, especially, politically motivated detention, in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani civil activists proved detailed information about the number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan and urge PACE  “to demand that the Azerbaijani authorities end the harassment, intimidation, arbitrary detention and criminal prosecution of those who legitimately exercise their right to freedoms of expression, assembly and association”. 

“Right now 29 human rights defenders, journalists, bloggers and political activists are behind bars on politically motivated charges in connection with freedom of expression,” the letter says.