March 17, President Ilham Aliyev pardoned some 148 men and women having signed a decree on "pardoning a number of prisoners". Many of the high profile political prisoners were also included in the list.
Among the ones released today are rights defenders Taleh Khasmammadov and Rasul Jafarov; chief of National Statehood Party Nemat Panahli; N!DA activists Rashad Hasanov, Rashadat Akhundov, Mammad Azizov, Omar Mammadov; head of Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center Anar Ammadli; Musavat party activists Tofig Yagublu, Yadigar Sadigov, Sirac Karimov; ad journalists Parviz Hashimov, and Hilal Mammadov.
Member of N!DA movement Ilkin Rustamzade; blogger Abdul Abilov; journalists Khadija Ismayilova, Seymur Hazi; rights defender Intigam Aliyev and the head of ReAL movement Ilgar Mammadov remain in jail.