On 24 May, President Ilham Aliyev signed a pardon decree releasing more than 600 people from prison.
It included 12 people from the list of political prisoners:
Abdullayev Valeh (2012 “Eurovision”case)
Babayev Nadir (Tale Bağırzadeh and Nardaran case)
Guliyev Mahammad (Nardaran case)
Gasimov Aliaga (Nardaran case)
Jabbarov Hilal (Nardaran case)
Gurbanov Alakbar (Nardaran case)
Shahbazov Fail (Nardaran case)
Shahbazov Natiq (Nardaran case)
Karimov David (Hijab prisoner)
Rzayev Elşad (Hijab prisoner)
Farajov Elnur (member of Popular Front Party)
Shakarov Saday (writer)
The decree did not consider well-known political prisoners such as opposition politician Ilgar Mammadov, former Health Minister Ali Insanov, youth activist Ilkin Rustamzadeh or journalists Seymur Hazi and Afgan Mukhtarli.
The last pardon decree was signed on March 15, 2017. It included, among others, Popular Front Party activist Elvin Abdullayev and opposition blogger Abdul Abilov.
