The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) hosted Friday a press conference ahead of the international conference on "Colonialism: Destruction of National and Religious Identity” set to be held in Baku.

The event brought together representatives of independence movements from French and Dutch colonies, including Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Kanaky (New Caledonia), Corsica, Martinique, Réunion, Bonaire, French Polynesia, Mayotte, Wallis and Futuna, as well as decolonization and reparations experts, and human rights defenders.

Family members of Kanak political prisoners, who were illegally imprisoned by the French government, were also among the participants. They emphasized that their relatives’ arrest was politically motivated and aimed at suppressing the Kanak people's right to self-determination and freedom. They also noted that they were targeted because they opposed the colonial policy of the French government.

The families of political prisoners mentioned that the French government had blatantly violated their rights, the conditions of detention were inhumane, and their legal defense options were restricted. They urged international organizations to exert pressure and demand the immediate release of the prisoners.

Highlighting the symbolic significance of political prisoners to independence movements, the event participants stressed the importance of an urgent and fair resolution to this issue.

The guests answered journalists' questions about the ongoing effects of colonialism, the efforts to preserve national and religious identity, and the threats faced by independence movements. They also hailed Azerbaijan's global role in the decolonization process.