Youth activist released early
The top Azerbaijani court has released a youth activist nine months before the end of his jail term.
Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, 30, is a former parliamentary candidate and a graduate of Harvard University.
He was arrested in March 2011 ahead of a planned demonstration against the Azerbaijani government that he helped organize.
In May 2011, he was convicted on charges of evading military service and sentenced to two years in prison.
Hajiyev has denied any wrongdoing.
The Supreme Court of Azerbaijan on Monday met Hajiyev`s request for parole and ordered his immediate release from custody.
The release of Hajiyev comes on the eve of U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton`s scheduled visit to Baku on Wednesday.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, welcomed on Monday the social media activist`s early release from prison, adding that she hoped all imprisoned journalists would also be set free soon.
``The decision to release Hajiyev is a positive step. However, the authorities could do more to foster freedom of expression by liberating all imprisoned journalists. I look forward to hearing more good news from Azerbaijan in the near future,`` Mijatovic said.
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