The European Parliament adopted resolution on Thursday calling upon Azerbaijan authorities to immediately release and drop all charges against Afgan Mukhtarli, an investigative journalist exiled in Georgia, from where he was abducted on May 29 and brought to Azerbaijan. He now faces prosecution and possibly a prison sentence of several years “following bogus charges”, say MEPs.
Azerbaijani authorities should end the selective criminal prosecution and imprisonment of journalists and human rights defenders, immediately release all political prisoners, and ensure compliance with fair trial norms, MEPs stress in a resolution.
Parliament also urges the Georgian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into Mukhtarli’s disappearance and to clarify “beyond any doubt all suspicion regarding the involvement of Georgian state agents”.