German officials should press President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan during his visit to Berlin to free unjustly imprisoned government critics and political activists, Human Rights Watch said.

 German officials should also urge Aliyev to lift restrictions on activists recently freed from prison and reform laws that severely curtail fundamental freedoms.

Aliyev is in Germany for an official visit on June 7-8, 2016.

“Aliyev’s visit provides a crucial opportunity for German officials to lend their voices to justice,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “German officials should encourage President Aliyev to end the country’s human rights crackdown and stop muzzling dissenters.”

Those freed in recent months had been targeted and jailed in the government’s sustained and pervasive crackdown on dissent. Since 2013, dozens of human rights defenders, political and civic activists, journalists, and bloggers have been arrested or imprisoned on politically motivated charges, prompting others to flee the country or go into hiding. In June 2015, the Bundestag adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan, criticizing the crackdown and calling on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release those unjustly imprisoned.

The convictions of the released activists remain in force. Furthermore, five were released on suspended sentences, and three of those remain vulnerable to being returned to custody and their freedom of movement and ability to leave the country have been curtailed. In April, the authorities allowed the veteran human rights defender Leyla Yunus, and her husband, Arif Yunus, to travel abroad for medical treatment, as their fragile health had deteriorated precipitously in custody.

Other journalists and activists remain behind bars, following similar politically motivated charges, ranging from hooliganism to tax evasion

“In recent months, Azerbaijani authorities have taken some steps to rectify the results of the pervasive government crackdown on dissent,” Williamson said. “However, the authorities should release everyone in jail on politically motivated charges and allow them to continue their work free of intimidation and harassment.”

Azerbaijan has also adopted repressive laws on nongovernmental groups and taken criminal and administrative actions against many independent groups. The laws, together with criminal investigations against a number of groups and foreign donors, have paralyzed many independent groups in Azerbaijan, Human Rights Watch said.

Although the authorities halted a number of investigations into nongovernmental organizations in March, existing legislative restrictions continue to hinder their ability to operate.

“German officials should impress upon President Aliyev that the quality of bilateral relations depends on Azerbaijan’s fulfillment of its international obligations,” Williamson said. “Releasing unjustly jailed activists and amending repressive laws should be first few steps on that road.”