Azerbaijan, Baku, 6 March / corr. Trend E. Huseyinli/ On 7 March, the Pardon Commission at the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan will hold its next meeting. "The Commission will consider over 200 appeals, in connection with the next decree on pardon," Vagif Samadoglu, the member of the Commission said to Trend on 6 March.
The last decree on pardon in Azerbaijan was signed by Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani president on 31 December 2007- prior to the New Year and Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis. According to the decree, some 117 prisoners were released and the term of two prisoners was reduced.
Since 1995, a total of 44 decrees on pardon for about 4,500 prisoners were signed in Azerbaijan.
According to Samadoglu, the Commission is considering the appeals on committed crimes. The appeals of the arrested journalists may be considered as well, he said. Three journalists have been detained in Azerbaijan at present.
The next decree on pardon is expected to be signed prior to the Novruz holidays. The Pardon Commission has held two meetings in the last week.