Civil Rights Defender of the Year 2016 – Intigam Aliyev

Azerbaijan.

"Civil Rights Defenders is pleased to announce human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev as the Civil Rights Defender of the Year 2016. Recently released from prison, he is one of several human rights defenders in Azerbaijan who has been detained for their work to promote human rights."

Civil Rights Defenders:
https://www.civilrightsdefenders.org/news/civil-rights-defender-of-the-year-intigam-aliyev/
In 2014 Initigam Aliyev was imprisoned together with other human rights activist in a nationwide crackdown on independent voices in Azerbaijan. Throughout his imprisonment he has refused to sign a petition for pardon, continuously stating that he has not committed any crime.

“My father dedicated his tireless and selfless work to the promotion and protection of human rights, and sacrificed his freedom for the freedom of others – just because it is important for him to stand strong for what he believes in, no matter the circumstances”, his son Necmin Kamil tells Civil Rights Defenders just days before the good news reach us and fellow human rights defenders that Intigam Aliyev has been released from prison in March 2016. --- “The 2016 Civil Rights Defender of the Year Award should also be viewed as an encouragement to human rights defenders imprisoned for their work, in Azerbaijan and elsewhere, and serve as a reminder that they are remembered and supported by their colleagues around the world”, says Robert Hårdh, Executive Director at Civil Rights Defenders."



Photo: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (via Civil Rights Defenders)




Sydsvenskan: "Oljeprisras ger regimkritiker hopp"
http://www.sydsvenskan.se/varlden/oljeprisras-ger-regimkritiker-hopp/
"Flera kända politiska fångar i oljediktaturen Azerbajdzjan släpptes ur fängelse för bara tre veckor sedan. Prisraset på olja medför en sällsynt chans att pressa regimen i demokratisk riktning, säger en av exfångarna på Sverigebesök. — Varje gång som flera av de politiska fångarna fick möjlighet att ringa till sina familjer från fängelset, var den första fråga de ställde: "Hur mår ni". Den andra var alltid: "Vad ligger oljepriset på"?"