PACE officials: Azerbaijani authorities failed to listen to appeals to release Novruzali Mamedov

Andres Herkel (Estonia) and Evgenia Zhivkova (Bulgaria), co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee of the PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) for Azerbaijan, are depressed with the fact of the failure of Azerbaijani authorities of Azerbaijan to listen to the appeals to release Novruzali Mamedov, editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Tolyshi Sado", who died on August 17. They have also expressed their regret for the loss of Mr Mamedov's scientific heritage.

Let us remind you that on August 18 the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan announced that on Monday, August 17, at 6:30 p.m., Novruzali Mamedov died at the medical establishment of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice. Under preliminary information, he died from a sharp thrombosis of brain veins, however, the exact reason of his death will be known only after forensic medical examination.

"We grieve of the death in custody of the prominent figure of the Talysh ethnic community, editor-in-chief of the newspaper 'Tolyshi Sado' and collaborator of the Institute of Linguistics of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan," says the statement of the PACE officials in the context of Novruzali Mamedov's death, which the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent received from the Baku office of the Council of Europe.

The statement notes that Mr Mamedov had been recognized by the Azerbaijani Federation of Human Rights Organizations to be a political prisoner.

"The PACE had serious doubts as to the fairness of the closed trial on him; and, with account of Mamedov's state of health and outgoing from the principles of humanism; the Assembly was repeatedly calling to release this person. But these appeals were never heard," runs the document.

"It is regretful that at Mamedov's arrest law enforcement bodies had destroyed his manuscripts. It means an irrevocable loss of the work, which could be useful for studying the Talysh cultural heritage, as stated by the PACE officials," emphasizes the statement of Mr Herkel and Ms Zhivkova.