We hope that the release of M.Aliyev will serve as a beginning for positive approach to human rights: US ambassador
Baku / 14.09.17 / Turan: The US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta expressed hope that the release of the director of the Turan news agency, Mehman Aliyev, from custody will be the beginning of a positive approach to human rights in Azerbaijan. He drew attention to the statements of the US State Department in the case of Aliyev after his arrest and after the release, which called for the cessation of the criminal prosecution of the journalist and the agency Turan."Mehman Aliyev is a professional and experienced journalist. We expressed concern about his arrest. We positively assess his release and hope that this positive turn will become a kind of the beginning of a positive approach in general to issues of democracy and human rights in Azerbaijan,"Cekuta said in an interview with the Azerbaijani service of the Voice of America.The ambassador said that the US is interested in long-term close cooperation with Azerbaijan."The United States wants to see Azerbaijan as an independent, democratic, flourishing state," he said.According to him, the US-Azerbaijan partnership is based on three equivalent directions: economy, security and democracy, human rights and the rule of law.Answering the question about the legislative initiative in the US Senate regarding the introduction of sanctions against Azerbaijan in connection with the criminal prosecution of Aliyev and the Turan agency, the ambassador confirmed that a "draft of such a proposal" has indeed been put forward in the Upper House of Congress.
"As we said before, in the US legislative power acts independently of the executive. The issue is still at the preliminary stage of the process. The project remains an offer. So far, I cannot say anything else,"said Cekuta.-03B06--
Politics
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On January 31, the trial of opposition politician Tofig Yagublu continued at the Baku Serious Crimes Court, where the examination of documents resumed. Yagublu pointed out the falsification of the search protocols related to the search at his home. He drew attention to the fact that the protocol stated that on December 14, 2023, at 16:00, the investigator completed the questioning of the "victim" and decided to conduct a search.
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During the winter session of PACE at the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg, a "parallel event" was held on January 30 dedicated to the "alarming human rights crisis in Azerbaijan." The hearings were organized by the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) and PACE member, co-chair of the Group of Unified European Left (Group of the Unified European), Spanish parliamentarian Laura Castel Fort.
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