Azernews, 23 March 2005

President Ilham Aliyev has announced pardons for 114 people, including more than 50 who were considered to be political prisoners. Seven opposition leaders and ex-defense minister Rahim Gaziyev are among those freed.
The Council of Europe had previously demanded the release of 'political prisoners' before the parliamentary elections due in November.

Opposition parties had complained of widespread fraud in the 2003 presidential election in Azerbaijan. The seven freed opposition leaders had been convicted for taking part in the October 15-16, 2003 riots and sentenced to prison terms of up to five years.

The United States welcomes the pardon decree, a spokesman for the US Department of State Carlos Aranagan said. The decree is an important step towards developing an open political dialogue on the eve of the parliamentary elections, he added.

Parliament members hailed the amnesty at a Tuesday session of the Milli Majlis (parliament).

MP Zahid Oruj highly assessed the presidential decree from the humaneness point of view. Among the pardoned prisoners are those who have not been forgiven by the public so far. The measure contributes to a dialogue between the authorities and opposition, said Oruj.

MP Anar Mammadkhanly termed the decision as an important step towards establishing civil solidarity in the country. "Although some government circles were decisively opposed to the amnesty of opposition representatives, the presidential decree indicates that Aliyev is a pro-Europe person," he said.

Parliament Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov said that with the issuance of the amnesty decree, no problems remain between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe.