MEASURES FOR ENSURING PRISONERS’ RIGHT FOR EARLY RELEASE CONTINUES

The project on realizing the public initiative on early release of prisoners in Azerbaijan is continuing. A hotline has been established as part of the project and the line receives calls at present. The main aim is to reveal the citizens, whose relatives are in prison. After this, trainings will be held for those citizens so that they could be able to help their relatives in prison. Unfortunately, the rate of phone calls to the hotline by citizins is low, but necessary measures are taken to increase the rate. Althought these measures were less with relation to the 7 November Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, the activities to enhance advertising of the hotline are underway. We are preparing to place new announcements in the newspapers and online TVs.

Besides, necessary measures are taken for holding direct trainings for prisoners. At the end of October, project coordinator Rasul Jafarov, members of expert group formed as part of the project, lawyers Elmar Suleymanov and Elchin Sadigov, journalist Yashar Agzade appealed to Penitentiary Service Head Nazim Alakbarov requesting him to provide necessary conditions for holding trainings. Unfortunately, Penitentiary Service refused. Nonetheless, the project executors are interested in cooperating with the Penitentiary Service in accordance with local and international legislation and therefore, an Action Plan is being prepared.