Smith (R-N.J.) introduced the Azerbaijan Democracy Act to recognize Azerbaijan’s violations of human rights and freedoms and to hold individual officials accountable. His response was, always, that Azerbaijan doesn’t have political prisoners. In December, Rep. This is a very costly invitation for Aliyev, who for years refused to accept international pressure or criticism on this issue. A lthough they have been released from jail, they remain confined within the country, barred from leaving, and justice has not been restored. To get an invitation to this event from President Obama, he had to pardon several political prisoners. He has been called an enemy of the press by international watchdogs, while abusing other fundamental freedoms and violating people’s right to truth and decency.Īliyev is in Washington this week to attend the Nuclear Security Summit that began Thursday. Aliyev inherited power from his father in 2003 and changed the constitution in 2009 so he could stay in power indefinitely. I am a journalist and my only “crime” was to investigate high-level corruption within the government and family of Azeri President Ilham Aliyev. I am writing this letter from jail in Baku, Azerbaijan, where I’m serving a 7½ -year sentence for a crime I never committed. She has been imprisoned in Azerbaijan since December 2014. Khadija Ismayilova is an investigative journalist and contributor to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Azerbaijani service. Don’t let Azerbaijan use political prisoners as props
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