Posts Tagged ‘political prisoners’
January 23rd, 2013
The future for political prisoners in Azerbaijan looks bleak after politicians at the Council of Europe (CoE) failed adopt an important resolution today calling for more than 80 cases to be resolved.
Azerbaijani authorities repeatedly deny the presence of any political prisoners in the country, which commands huge business interests around the world, including among several MPs from the United Kingdom, several of whom voted against the resolution.
Disappointment among those who campaign for free expression in Azerbaijan was palpable, with several NGO representatives referring to the vote — 79 in favour and 125 against — as a disgrace.
Among those being held on spurious charges are journalists Avaz Zeynalli, Hilal Mammadov and Vugar Gonagov.
The resolution was based on a report by Rapporteur Christoph Strasser, who was repeatedly denied entry into Azerbaijan to carry out his mandate. Several delegates refused to recognise the resolution on grounds that Strasser prepared his report from outside the oil-rich country.
However, free expression advocates welcomed the adoption of a resolution calling for continued monitoring of the country’s record on free speech and human rights, with 196 members voting in favour and only 13 against. The resolution was based on a report by the CoE’s rapporteurs to Azerbaijan, who expressed “growing concern with regard to rule of law and respect for human rights” in the country and encouraged the Azerbaijani government to strengthen its commitment to honour human rights obligations.
Index on Censorship and Crow Hill Films invite you to a screening of Amazing Azerbaijan! followed by a discussion on Azerbaijan and human rights on 30 January.
May 15th, 2012
Index on Censorship writer and youth activist
Turgut Gambar was among activists arrested yesterday (14 May) during a demonstration in Baku, Azerbaian. Police
violently dispersed peaceful protests ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest which will take place later this month. Specifically targeting opposition party members, police beat demonstrators at rallies in Sabir Garden in front of the city authorities’ offices. Around 300 protesters gathered to call for the release of Azerbaijan’s political prisoners.
April 20th, 2012
The release of Andrei Sannikov and Dzmitry Bandarenka last weekend was welcome news for Europe’s last dictatorship. But with at least 13 more political prisoners behind bars, Belarus is far from free
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Tags: Tags: Aleksandr Lukashenko, Andrei Aliaksandrau, Andrei Sannikov, Belarus, Dzmitry Bandarenka, elections, Europe, Free Belarus Now, freedom of expression, political prisoners,
March 15th, 2012
In a “repressive” decision, Moscow city court refuse to release two members of punk feminist group Pussy Riot. Elena Vlasenko reports
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October 13th, 2011
Popular comic Zarganar was released from prison in Burma yesterday. His friend, the painter and performance artist Htein Lin managed to talk to him last night, and Zarganar passed on his thanks to Index on Censorship and all those who campaigned on his behalf
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October 26th, 2010
Guillermo Farinas has
won the 2010 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the European Union’s most prestigious human rights award. Farinas has spent much of the last 15 years in jail and has gone on hunger strike more than 20 times. His most recent hunger strike ended in July when the government
agreed to release 52 political prisoners. At the same time as the EU bestowed the accolade, Cuba authorised the
release of a further five prisoners, who were not among the originally specified 52. The released men are due to be transferred to Spain. 39 have already been released, but 13 have refused the deal and remain behind bars.
October 13th, 2010
Unconfirmed reports suggest the ruling military junta in Burma plans to
release of thousands of prisoners early to allow them to vote in November’s elections. The total number of detainees set for release is
reportedly 11,000. It is not yet clear whether any of Burma’s 2,200 political prisoners will be freed. Detained pro-democracy leader,
Aung San Suu Kyi, has been banned from running in the elections — the first in the country for 20 years — and there are
fears that the voting process will be heavily controlled by the government. Under the new constitution some 25% of seats are guaranteed for the military.
July 12th, 2010
The Cuban authorities have announced that they
intend to release 52 political prisoners. The first prisoners are expected to
arrive in Madrid tomorrow (13 July). Cuba has come under increased international pressure following the death of
political prisoner Orlando Zapato Tamayo in February. Tamayo had been on a hunger strike. The first five prisoners are being allowed to travel to Spain with their relatives. The remaining 47 will be released over the next few months, they will also be allowed to relocate to Spain. The Cuban Human Rights Commission claims that after the releases Cuban jails will still hold 110 political prisoners.
