Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BAKU270
2008-03-19 11:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
PRESIDENTIAL PARDON DISAPPOINTS HUMAN RIGHTS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHKB #0270 0791144 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 191144Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4998 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 2720 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0869 RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000270
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR EUR/CARC AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM AJ
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL PARDON DISAPPOINTS HUMAN RIGHTS
ACTIVISTS
Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Joan Polaschik for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000270
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR EUR/CARC AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM AJ
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL PARDON DISAPPOINTS HUMAN RIGHTS
ACTIVISTS
Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Joan Polaschik for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).
1. (SBU) President Aliyev pardoned 59 prisoners on March 18,
in a step that was widely expected by local human rights
activists. The pardon is linked to the Novruz holiday, which
is the most important holiday for the majority of
Azerbaijanis. In the past, President Ilham Aliyev and former
President Heydar Aliyev have granted similar pardons to
coincide with this holiday.
2. (C) Human rights activists were disappointed by the
pardon because it did not include any journalists or
high-profile cases, such as Eynulla Fatullayev, Sakit
Zahidov, Ganimat Zahidov, Mushfig Huseynov, Ruslan Bashirli,
and Rasim Akbarov. Emin Huseynov, a reliable and balanced
Embassy contact from the Institute for Reporters Freedom,
told us the pardon was "superficial" to create the perception
that Azerbaijan is addressing the problem of suspect cases of
imprisoned critics of the government. Leyla Yunus, who is
strongly critical of the government, was cited by Turan News
Agency as saying the pardon fails to address the problem of
political prisoners, just like other recent pardons. Rana
Sadaddinova characterized the pardon as "depressing," while
Saida Qocamanli, who tends to be softer in her criticism of
the government, said the decree was "unsatisfactory."
3. (SBU) While the pardon did not include any high-profile
cases, it included five individuals identified by human
rights activist Leyla Yunus as "political prisoners." They
are: Asif Huseynov, Etibar Allahverdiyev, Nariman Ismayilov,
Rasim Taghiyev, and Gadir Musayev. With the exception of
Musayev, these four were imprisoned in connection with
alleged coup plots. Musayev, who served as an election
official in 2005, was charged with narcotics possession after
he reportedly refused to falsify election results in the
Bilasuvar district. (Human rights activists differ on the
definition of "political prisoner" in Azerbaijan and maintain
divergent lists.)
4. (C) Comment: Given the increasingly intense discussion
within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) regarding political prisoners in Azerbaijan (upcoming
septel),many observers hoped that the GOAJ would issue a
more far-reaching pardon that would release prominent
prisoners. Given the low-level nature of prisoners included
in this decree, President Aliyev,s March 18 pardon alone
likely will prove insufficient to stave off the appointment
of a PACE Special Rapporteur on political prisoners, widely
expected in June. The GOAJ has several opportunities to
issue additional pardons before June -- including the
upcoming 85th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev,s birth and the
80th anniversary of the establishment of the first
independent Repbulic of Azerbaijan -- and we expect the issue
of political prisoners to remain hotly debated in the run-up
to the June PACE session.
DERSE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR EUR/CARC AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM AJ
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL PARDON DISAPPOINTS HUMAN RIGHTS
ACTIVISTS
Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Joan Polaschik for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).
1. (SBU) President Aliyev pardoned 59 prisoners on March 18,
in a step that was widely expected by local human rights
activists. The pardon is linked to the Novruz holiday, which
is the most important holiday for the majority of
Azerbaijanis. In the past, President Ilham Aliyev and former
President Heydar Aliyev have granted similar pardons to
coincide with this holiday.
2. (C) Human rights activists were disappointed by the
pardon because it did not include any journalists or
high-profile cases, such as Eynulla Fatullayev, Sakit
Zahidov, Ganimat Zahidov, Mushfig Huseynov, Ruslan Bashirli,
and Rasim Akbarov. Emin Huseynov, a reliable and balanced
Embassy contact from the Institute for Reporters Freedom,
told us the pardon was "superficial" to create the perception
that Azerbaijan is addressing the problem of suspect cases of
imprisoned critics of the government. Leyla Yunus, who is
strongly critical of the government, was cited by Turan News
Agency as saying the pardon fails to address the problem of
political prisoners, just like other recent pardons. Rana
Sadaddinova characterized the pardon as "depressing," while
Saida Qocamanli, who tends to be softer in her criticism of
the government, said the decree was "unsatisfactory."
3. (SBU) While the pardon did not include any high-profile
cases, it included five individuals identified by human
rights activist Leyla Yunus as "political prisoners." They
are: Asif Huseynov, Etibar Allahverdiyev, Nariman Ismayilov,
Rasim Taghiyev, and Gadir Musayev. With the exception of
Musayev, these four were imprisoned in connection with
alleged coup plots. Musayev, who served as an election
official in 2005, was charged with narcotics possession after
he reportedly refused to falsify election results in the
Bilasuvar district. (Human rights activists differ on the
definition of "political prisoner" in Azerbaijan and maintain
divergent lists.)
4. (C) Comment: Given the increasingly intense discussion
within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) regarding political prisoners in Azerbaijan (upcoming
septel),many observers hoped that the GOAJ would issue a
more far-reaching pardon that would release prominent
prisoners. Given the low-level nature of prisoners included
in this decree, President Aliyev,s March 18 pardon alone
likely will prove insufficient to stave off the appointment
of a PACE Special Rapporteur on political prisoners, widely
expected in June. The GOAJ has several opportunities to
issue additional pardons before June -- including the
upcoming 85th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev,s birth and the
80th anniversary of the establishment of the first
independent Repbulic of Azerbaijan -- and we expect the issue
of political prisoners to remain hotly debated in the run-up
to the June PACE session.
DERSE