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International human rights organization Civil Rights Defenders has called on the authorities of Azerbaijan to immediately release Azerbaijani journalist and human rights defender Rasul Jafarov, as reported by the Caucasian Knot.

“Azerbaijani journalist and human rights defender Rasul Jafarov met his 30th anniversary behind the bars. He, as well as many of his colleagues-human rights defenders are in a pre-trial detention, charged with tax evasion, illegal commercial activity and abuse of authority. He can be sentenced to a long period of imprisonment,” says the announcement of the organization.

Civil Rights Defenders have called on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release Rasul Jafarov and all the other political prisoners who are currently in prison, notes the press release which was received by the Caucasian Knot on 17 August.

“The crackdown on the civil society in Azerbaijan has once again come to demonstrate how Aliyev’s regime continues to use authoritarian methods of governance, despite the fact that the country chairs the Council of Europe,” stated Executive Director of Civil Rights Defenders Robert Hardh.

Information about an action of solidarity planned for Rasul Jafarov’s birthday on the evening of 17 August was also received by the Caucasian Knot via its SMS service.

“Today is Rasul Jafarov’s birthday which he meets in prison. You can join the solidarity action on Facebook page free rasul,” wrote the author of the message. Human rights defenders from different countries on 17 August posted in social networks Rasul Jafarov’s photo with congratulations and tagged it as ‪#‎freerasul, says the publication.

As Azerbaijani information agency Turan reports, earlier in Sheki demonstrations took place in support of arrested Rasul Jafarov. The flash mob was devoted to the 30-year-old arrested activist. The demonstration was held in front of the walls of ancient Sheki fortress, in front of a medieval prison. The activists raised posters in defence of Jafarov in Azerbaijani, English and Russian.

Jafarov is one of the authors of a complete list of political prisoners in Azerbaijan which was publicised after his arrest and which contains surnames of 98 people including Jafarov himself, says the article.

Information agency Turan also reports that Nobel Women's Initiative has called on Azerbaijani authorities to release Leyla and Arif Yunus. The announcement of this organization, which was founded in 2006 by a Nobel Prize winner woman, notes that Lela Yunus’ health has dramatically deteriorated while in prison and that the prosecutor’s office is delaying the processing of her request for medication and refuses to hospitalize her.

The Nobel Women’s Initiative urges Azerbaijani authorities to immediately provide all necessary medical care for Leyla Yunus and her spouse. Their safety and wellbeing are the absolute responsibility of the Azerbaijani government. These arrests are part of ongoing restrictions and pressure on civil society activists in Azerbaijan and an increasing trend of harassment of women human rights defenders worldwide, reports the publication.