Ulrike Lunacek met today with Rasul Jafarov and Anar Mamadli, two of the Azeri political prisoners recently released from jail.
They discussed the latest developments in Azerbaijan and the state of relations between this country and the EU. Rasul and Anar thanked Ulrike, Heidi Hautala and the Green/EFA group for their action in the European Parliament and the EU institutions in favour of human rights defenders in Baku and in particular for the resolution adopted by the EP in September 2015 that called for the release of all the political prisoners in Azerbaijan.
That resolution was of great importance and further motivated Azerbaijani civil activists to continue their struggle for fundamental freedoms. Rasul and Anar raised the question of the new law on NGOs that in practice hampers international donors from funding Azeri civil society.
Lunacek assured them that this problem will be duly raised and followed up with all the relevant interlocutors including the Commission and the EU external service. Lunacek welcomed the release of the political prisoners but expressed concern about the remaining ones that are still in prison like Ilgar Mammadov and reiterated her commitment to continue to fight in parliament for their liberation.
