Eurovision Without Political Prisoners

Dear President Aliyev,

A large group of civil society representatives, including human rights defenders, journalists and experts, have sent an open letter to you with a call to release all political prisoners ahead of next years Eurovision Song Contest in Baku. Below is the text of that letter along with the list of names of the original authors. I add my name to this list and call your government to end the violence and intimidation against peaceful protesters, journalists and political opponents and respect the rights of citizens for free assembly and free speech.

Dear Mister President,

We appeal to you in connection with the socio-political situation in Azerbaijan on the eve of a very significant event the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku. The victory of the representatives of the Country in this important contest cheered us all and once again showed the world the high level of Azerbaijani culture.

The final of Eurovision 2012 will be held in Baku and will attract the attention of the world to both the contest itself and to Azerbaijan as a whole. Therefore, we would like to draw your attention to the tense civil rights situation in the Country, including violations of freedom of speech, assembly and association, and especially the issue of political prisoners, which is noted by local and international human rights organizations. This is the alarming situation of the background on which Eurovision-2012 will be held in Baku.

All of the above mentioned issues do not go unnoticed and if we do not take major steps to reduce social tension, then as far as the worlds media is concerned, Azerbaijan will appear to be a country that is not free, despite hosting a free art event (as you know rock is the music of free people.)

Dear Mr. President,

We call on you to take steps to reduce the above-described tension in society on the eve of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.

We call on you to pardon by the Independence Day of the republic, all political prisoners and journalists, youth, civic and political activists.

We would like You to take a step toward a civil concord so that the political credibility of Azerbaijan in the eyes of the international community reach the same high level of the development as it is for Azerbaijani culture.

With a hope of mutual understanding,

Leyla Yunus (Peace & Democracy Institute),
Hikmet Hadjy-zadeh (Eurointegration committee),
Arzu Abdullayeva (Helsinki Citizen Assembly),
Novella Djafaroglu (Women Rights Defense),
Saadat Bananiyarli (Int-l Human Rights Union, Azerbaijan),
Saida Godjamanli (Azerbaijan Bureau of Human Rights and Law Respect),
Ruhangiz Huseynova (Women solidarity Org-n),
Fuad Hasanov (Democracy Monitoring Org-n),
Malahat Murshudlu (Independent Teachers Union),
Irada Сavadova (Human Rights Education Center),
Samir Isayev ( "Ecolex" - Environmental Center),
Azer Mehtiyev (Center for Assistance To Economic Initiatives),
Leila Aliyeva (Center for National & International Studies),
Rashid Hadjılı (Media Law Org-n),
Vugar Gocayev (Human Rights House),
Ulviyya Mammadova (Gender and women Initiatives Center),
Arif Aliyev (New Generation, Journalist Union),
Vahid Gazi (Inam Center for Pluralism)
Rashad Shiriniv (Eurointegration committee),
Erkin Gadirli (Republican Alternative Union).
Shahin Hadjiyev ( Nacaf Nacafov Foundation)
Yashar Cafarli (Army Veterans Union)
Anar Mammadli (Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies)
Qubad Ibadoglu (Economic Research Center)
Zafar Quliyev (Independent political analyst)
Ali Abasov, Doctor of Philosophy
Rauf Mirqadirov, Zerkalo newspaper
Djavid Ismayil (Jurnalist)
Alakbar Aliyev, (Writer)
Zeynal Mammadli (Media Expert).
Rasim Garadja (Writer)
Natiq Djavadlı (Republican Alternative Union)
Ali Novruzov (Blogger)