On 16 March, to mark Novruz Holiday, the President of Azerbaijan pardoned over 400 people. Among those pardoned are also representatives of political parties, NGOs, bloggers and journalists, which is a welcome step. The European Union expects that further similar steps will follow in future in line with Azerbaijan's international commitments. The EU will continue its engagement with Azerbaijan to step up the cooperation, including on human rights, which constitutes an essential element of our relationship.