Released Azeri opposition leaders vow to continue struggle for democracy

ANS TV, Baku
21 Mar 05

[Presenter] The decree on pardon signed by [Azerbaijani] President
[Ilham] Aliyev on 20 March was fully executed today. Among the
released are those who were on the Council of Europe’s list of
political prisoners.

[Correspondent, over video of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev,
prisoners] The president has relieved 114 inmates from the rest of
their prison terms after considering requests for pardon, the health
condition of convicts, their family status, the duration of their
prison terms and their behaviour in prison.

[Passage omitted: reported details]

A total of 53 people released on pardon are those whom the Council
of Europe regarded as political prisoners.

[Rahim Qaziyev, pardoned former defence minister, captioned] As you
see, I am not bad, thanks to God. I am all right.

[Correspondent] [Editor-in-chief of Yeni Musavat newspaper] Rauf
Arifoglu, [chairman of the Hope Party and MP] Iqbal Agazada,
[chairman of the Karabakh War Disabled Society] Etimad Asadov,
[deputy chairman of the Musavat Party] Arif Hacili, [chairman of the
People’s Party of Azerbaijan and former prime minister] Panah Huseynov,
[deputy chairman of the Musavat Party] Ibrahim Ibrahimli and [general
secretary of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan] Sardar Calaloglu
[who were convicted over post-elections riots on 15-16 October 2003]
have also been pardoned.

Sardar Calaloglu and Iqbal Agazada believe that their release was
possible following the pressure from international organizations.
Rauf Arifoglu said that the head of state should have taken this step
a year before. As for the future plans of the pardoned:

[Sardar Calaloglu, captioned] I think that we have to continue the
work from the point we started on 16 October [2003]. Azerbaijan is
on the eve of the parliamentary elections [in November]. We will do
our utmost to have those elections democratic.

[Iqbal Agazada, captioned] I will continue heading the party. We will
closely deal with both party building and the problems of Azerbaijan.
We will pronounce our unspoken words by taking a serious part in
Azerbaijan’s social and political life.

[Rauf Arifoglu, captioned] I will continue my activity as the editor
of the newspaper. [sentence indistinct]

[Correspondent] The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
[PACE] has called on the Azerbaijani government to resolve the
problem of political prisoners till its spring session in April. It
was largely said that if otherwise, Azerbaijan might face troubles
at the PACE. The head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE,
Samad Seyidov, believes that Azerbaijan has already resolved the
problem of political prisoners.

[Samad Seyidov, captioned] The relations between Azerbaijan and
the Council of Europe will develop normally and constructively. Any
issue regarding Azerbaijan at the April session of the PACE can be
considered to be out of the agenda.

[Correspondent] The special rapporteur of the PACE on political
prisoners, Malcolm Bruce, has told ANS that he commends the decree on
pardon by President Aliyev. He said that this fact will be especially
noted in his report.

Ceyhun Asgarov, Hikmat Asgarov for ANS.