EPDE demands an immediate release of Anar Mammadli, Chairman of the independent Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) and the Board member of EPDE, as well as a release of almost 100 other political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

Anar Mammadli and his deputy Bashir Suleimanli were detained in Baku after publishing a critical report exposing fraud in the October 2013 presidential election. In May 2014 they were sentenced to 5.5 and 3.5 years of imprisonment accordingly. EPDE strongly condemns such political persecution of independent election monitoring. Azerbaijan is clearly violating its international obligations towards the OSCE and the Council of Europe. EPDE calls upon the international community and the German Chancellor in particular, to take all necessary steps to ensure fulfillment and further control of Azerbaijan’s commitments with the Charter of Paris and the European Convention on Human Rights.

EPDE Berlin, 20.01.2015

Interviews with Lilia Shibanova, GOLOS Association Russia and Alex Beliacki, HR Centre Viasna, Belarus can be arranged through EPDE Secretariat.

Contact Stefanie Schiffer 01719945540.