Human rights activist Rufat Safarov highly appreciated US State Department's Human Rights Award for his contribution to human rights protection.

Human rights activist Rufat Safarov highly appreciated being honoured by the US State Department with an award for his contribution to the human rights protection.

‘I highly appreciate the award given to me and express my gratitude to the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mr Libby, who nominated me for the award, and to the head of the US State Department, Mr Blinken, who supported its award. Unfortunately, official Baku arrested me to prevent me from personally receiving the award and to punish me for protecting human rights,’ Safarov said in a statement from the human rights defender's relatives.

He pointed out that he was proud to have embarked on the path of human rights activity, protecting universal human values and not deviating from this line ‘despite all the slander and pressure’ to which he is subjected by the authorities.

‘In fact, I take my arrest as the government's recognition of my human rights work. Human rights are not an internal affair of any country and are a universal definition. Without human rights, neither the state nor society can exist. I call on everyone to unite in defence of human rights,’ Safarov emphasized.