EU hails pardoning of over 400 convicts in Azerbaijan

By Jeyhun Aliyev</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – The EU has welcomed the pardon decree signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to give amnesty to over 400 convicts, marking the Nevruz (Spring) festival.</p> <p>Under the presidential decree signed on Saturday, a total of 431 convicts were pardoned. </p> <p>Among them, 399 convicts were freed from the unserved part of their prison sentences, according to Azerbaijani news agency Trend.</p> <p>The EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic called the presidential decree a &quot;welcome step&quot; and said among those pardoned are also representatives of political parties, non-governmental organizations, bloggers and journalists.</p> <p>Kocijancic also said the EU &quot;expects that further similar steps will follow in future in line with Azerbaijan's international commitments&quot;.</p> <p>&quot;The EU will continue its engagement with Azerbaijan to step up the cooperation, including on human rights, which constitutes an essential element of our relationship,&quot; she added.</p> <p>Among the pardoned are 14 foreign citizens — including three Georgian citizens, two each from Russia and Nigeria, and one each from Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Cameroon, India and Belarus, Trend said.</p> <p>Nevruz festival, which traditionally marks the arrival of spring, is celebrated in some countries of the Middle East, as well as central and southern Asia.