U2 frontman Bono made an impassioned appeal on behalf of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, after receiving a request from the Sport for Rights campaign. Speaking on stage from his concerts in Montreal both on 12 and 13 June, Bono mentioned “six friends of ours who tonight are locked behind bars for the crime of expressing their opinion”. He named Emin Huseynov, Khadija Ismayilova, Anar Mammadli, Leyla Yunus, Rasul Jafarov, and Intigam Aliyev, whose photos were displayed in the arena. Bono’s strong appeal was a sharp contrast from Lady Gaga’s surprise performance at the opening ceremony of the European Games the previous night. Sport for Rights Coordinator Rebecca Vincent commented “We are thrilled that Bono spoke out on behalf of our jailed colleagues in Azerbaijan, including Sport for Rights founder Rasul Jafarov. …The world knows what is really taking place in the country, and will not keep silent”.
