Brussels, 19/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - Condemning the arrest and detention of human rights activists Leyla and Arif Yunus, Rasul Jafarov, Intikam Aliyev and Hasan Huseyin in Azerbaijan, MEPs called on Thursday 18 September for them to be released “immediately and unconditionally”.
In the joint resolution that they adopted, the MEPs called on the authorities of Azerbaijan “to take concrete steps to improve the human rights situation in the country as a matter of urgent priority”, to cease their harassment of civil society organisations, opposition politicians and independent journalists, and to lift the ban on public gatherings in central Baku. The MEPs call on the authorities to undertake, “without further delay”, the human rights reforms “that are long overdue”.
The EU's support for Azerbaijan and cooperation with it - which include the ongoing negotiations to set up a strategic modernisation partnership - should include clauses on the protection and promotion of human rights, the European Parliament adds. It also warns that its consent to the signature of a partnership agreement with Azerbaijan will be conditional on the satisfactory reflection of its human rights requirements.
Elsewhere, the Greens Group at the European Parliament decided to nominate Leyla Yunus for the 2014 Sakharov Prize. “We have nominated Leyla Yunus to draw attention to her outstanding work but also to the deteriorating human rights situation in Azerbaijan”, said Greens co-leaders Rebecca Harms and Philippe Lamberts. Leyla Yunus is accused of serious crimes, including high treason, and was sentenced to jail, without trial, on 30 July. (CG)