Three Azerbaijani Youth Activists Released From Prison

Three members of the Azerbaijani youth organization NIDA -- Elsever Mursalli, Bakhtiyar Guliyev, and Shahin Novruzlu -- were released from prison on October 18 following a presidential pardon. After their release, Mursalli and Guliyev visited the grave of Heydar Aliyev to pay tribute to the late president. Heydar Aliyev is the father of current President Ilham Aliyev, who pardoned a total of 84 people on October 17. Eight members of NIDA were imprisoned last year on charges of organizing mass unrest after taking part in an antigovernment rally. (RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service)