Ranking Member Shaheen Calls for Release of Unjustly Detained Individuals, Including Those with U.S. Ties, as Part of New Chapter in U.S.-Azerbaijan Relationship

WASHINGTON - Last month, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, directed her staff to hand-deliver letters in Baku, Azerbaijan, addressed to Farid Mehralizada, a journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Ulviyya Ali, a former Voice of America correspondent; and Alasgar Mammadli, a lawyer and former Deputy Chief of Party with IREX and Internews. Ranking Member Shaheen's outreach followed recent progress in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process and new Memorandums of Understanding aimed at increasing cooperation among the United States, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In the letters, Ranking Member Shaheen reaffirmed her commitment to securing the release of the three individuals-each of whom has strong ties to U.S. organizations-and expressed hope that she will soon be able to welcome them to the U.S. Senate to celebrate their freedom.

"I welcome Azerbaijan's commitment to peace with Armenia and share the Administration's view that this opportunity opens the door to a stronger U.S.-Azerbaijan partnership," said Ranking Member Shaheen. "There is broad recognition in Congress that a new chapter in our relationship is possible, but that must include the release of those unjustly detained-including Farid, Ulviyya and Alasgar-and an end to the targeting of family members like Nargiz Mukhtarova. Persecuting individuals whose only 'crime' is working with the United States is incompatible with the spirit of this partnership. Congress will play an important role in implementing the new Strategic Partnership Memorandum of Understanding, and I am ready to support that process, but many of my colleagues and I will also be looking for meaningful progress on human rights. I look forward to continued dialogue with the Azerbaijani government on how we can advance both our shared prosperity and our shared commitment to fundamental freedoms."

Full text of Ranking Member Shaheen's letters is available HERE, HERE and HERE.

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