Finnish MP and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva and Portugese MP, Chairperson of the OSCE PA Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions Isabel Santos welcomed the release of 148 people in Azerbaijan, following a pardon decree issued by President Ilham Aliyev.

“I welcome this ethical decision by President Aliyev, and we will continue to encourage Azerbaijan to fulfill its OSCE commitments and I look forward to future constructive dialogue and progress,” President Kanerva said.

A senior OSCE PA delegation visited Azerbaijan on 25 January, meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov, Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, members of the Azerbaijani Delegation to the OSCE PA and members of civil society.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on March 17 pardoning 148 people. Under the decree, 137 people, sentenced to imprisonment, have been freed from serving the remainder of the prison terms.

Moreover, six people were freed from the remainder of the correctional labor and five people were freed from the penalty in the form of a fine. Sixteen foreign citizens are among the pardoned.