"We are deeply concerned about violence, including allegations of assault, and other pressure against citizens who exercise their constitutional rights in Azerbaijan," a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday in response to TURAN's request for comment on the recent assault against a leading Azerbaijani activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev.
"We urge authorities to investigate all such incidents, including those recently reported by Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, and hold those responsible accountable," a spokesperson added.
The United States "remains strongly committed" to advancing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. "And we, again, urge the government to respect their citizens’ rights, including the right to express views peacefully," a State Department spokesperson noted.
Bakhtiyar Hajiyev reported on Monday that the Organized Crime Unit officers snatched him from a street in Baku, held for 6 hours, and freed after deleting his Facebook posts critical of the Interior Minister.
In April 2022, he was also detained, beaten, and interrogated about online posts.
Yesterday, Mr. Hajiyev officially applied for revocation of his Azerbaijani citizenship.
Alex Raufoglu
Washington D.C.
Politics
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The court sentenced Akhsan Nuruzade to 2 months of administrative arrest, said lawyer Fakhraddin Mekhtiyev. At the same time, two days were deducted taking into account the time spent in custody.
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Ahead of COP29, the Classical Popular Front Party has urged the Azerbaijani authorities to release imprisoned critics of the government, including journalists and social activists. "In recent years, the arrest of prominent public and political figures, experts, and media representatives who hold critical positions - many of whom are not even granted house arrest - has raised significant concerns in society.
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The account of Iran's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Azerbaijani on the social network "X" (@az_Khamenei) was blocked. After some time, the page was unblocked, but all followers were removed, leaving only three subscribers. In contrast, Khamenei's Persian-language page has 1.3 million followers.
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On Saturday 26 October, Georgian citizens voted in Parliamentary elections. The EU has been following the developments leading to the parliamentary elections closely. Over the past months, the people of Georgia have demonstrated their attachment to democratic values and their country's EU path.
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