U.S. Says Raises Human Rights Issues With Partners And Allies 'Regularly'

The State Department said on Tuesday the United States raises human rights concerns "regularly" to help free political prisoners around the world, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"Human rights is an issue that this department and this Secretary raises regularly with our allies and partners, as well as with countries where we perhaps might have differing views on some of these issues," Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson, told a daily press briefing in response to TURAN's question about the Department's recent initiative to secure the release of political prisoners, including Azerbaijani Elchin Mammad.

In January, the State Department announced the launch of what it’s calling the Without Just Cause Initiative, aiming to raise international awareness about political prisoners detained unfairly around the world and advocate for their release. The initiative promises to engage in diplomacy in D.C. and abroad.

Asked by TURAN's correspondent whether the initiative has been prioritized by the Department, Patel said, in general, the issue of human rights is of great concern.

"And that’s why you saw the Secretary [of State] come here to this podium to release the Human Rights Report," he said.

"It’s why you see [Antony Blinken] taking such an active role in the Summit for Democracy because, again, we believe that democracies and the strength of democracies are a key tenet of human rights as well," he concluded.

Elchin Mammad, an Azerbaijani journalist and human rights lawyer, is among 16 individuals the State Department highlighted as part of the campaign. He was arrested in March 2020 and sentenced to 4 years in prison shortly after he published a report critical of the human rights situation in the country.

"The justice system should be used to seek justice, not to punish those speaking up for human rights," the Department said in January.  "Elchin Mammad and all other political prisoners should be released immediately and unconditionally."

Alex Raufoglu