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At "Mehsul" stadium in Yasamal district of Baku a rally demanding the release of political prisoners was held on Sunday. The rally was organized by the opposition party "Musavat" and was dedicated to the International Human Rights Day, celebrated on 10 December, reports Azerbaijani news agency "Turan".

As the article notes, the rally was attended by about a thousand people. Speaking at the meeting, the former head of Musavat, now leader of the National Center for Thought, Isa Gambar said that the authorities are fighting totally against their opponents - those who speak the truth. "The authorities are afraid so they are trying to intimidate us with arrest," Gambar said.

At the same time, he reminded that already in the spring of 2014 Musavat decided that if the political prisoners were not released, the party would boycott the European Games of 2015.

As stated in the article, according to Gambar, the authorities pass all bounds, they even jail women human rights activist Leyla Yunus, the journalist Khadija Ismayilova.

“Greed and gluttony of the Aliyev regime manifest itself also on the issue of political prisoners. In this aspect Azerbaijan is one of the leaders in the world,” Gambar noted, adding that the country's prisons contain more than 100 political prisoners at the moment.

The agency also notes that an activist of Musavat, Raghif Kerimli, whose two sons, Faraj and Siraj were arrested, reported about pressure on political prisoners who are forced to write petitions for clemency. "Freedom is not given as alms. These people are not guilty. Why should they seek pardon?" said Kerimli.

A former political prisoner and prisoner of conscience, human rights activist Vidadi Iskenderli expressed confidence that the government will have to release political prisoners under the international pressure.

According to Arif Hajili, the head of the Musavat party, the number of people protesting against the existence of political prisoners and repression in Azerbaijan is not limited to the number of participants of the rally.

As noted in the article participants of the rally chanted "Freedom!" holding portraits of political prisoners and numerous placards with various slogans. Thus one of the posters read: "Santa Claus, bring sanctions!" "We must ignite not the torch of the Olympics, but the torch of freedom!" and others. On one of the posters the Olympic rings were drawn in an iron cage, Turan writes.

The rally ended with the adoption of a resolution with the following demands: to put an end to repression against democratic institutions; to comply with the rights and freedoms guaranteed by international conventions; to immediately and unconditionally release all "prisoners of conscience" and political prisoners.

Azerbaijani information portal "Minval.az" presented a photo reportage from the meeting of the party.

The rally was covered also by the "Caucasian Knot", which presented the words of Isa Gambar who said that if political prisoners are released, they will call on the international community to boycott the European Olympic Games 2015 in Baku. Information portal "Caucasus Online" noted that in a sanctioned rally on the outskirts of Baku about 1,500 people were present.