International

SP Member of Parliament Michiel van Nispen took part on Friday in the protest action ‘Run for Leyla’, organised by Amnesty International around the Azerbaijan in The Hague.

Amnesty organised the run to protest against human rights abuses in Azerbaijan, where critics of the government are being imprisoned. Those suffering incarceration include journalists, activists, politicians, lawyers and bloggers. Nadat Leyla en Arif Yunus, the parents of Dinara Yunus, who lives in the Netherlands, have been thrown in jail for their public appeal for a boycott of the European Games currently being held in Azerbaijan . ‘Freedom of expression is a human right,’ says Van Nispen, ‘and one which applies to everyone, world-wide. Prisoners of conscience must be released and the international community must make every effort to bring this about. We’ve called on the Dutch government to do this. Certainly at the present moment while the European Games is putting the country under a spotlight is the time to act.’

On Tuesday the Dutch Parliament will vote on a motion from SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel calling on the government to pay heed to Amnesty International’s appeal to them to call for the release of prisoners of conscience in Azerbaijan.