116 prisoners pardoned

Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev has issued a pardoning decree to discharge 116 prisoners from the remaining period of their sentence.

According to the Presidential Administration press service, the pardoned persons include 36 people convicted for involvement in crimes against the independence, statehood and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, while the others were members of illegal armed formations sentenced for participation in coup attempt in Ganca region of Azerbaijan in 1994 and members of former special police forces OMON convicted for involvement in an attempt to forcibly take the power in Baku, Qazax and Agstafa in 1995. 16 pardoned prisoners are those who organized or took part in actions violating public order in Saki District in November 2000.

There are one Russian and two Pakistani nationals among the pardoned prisoners. *