Azerbaijan rejects Council of Europe allegations, urges focus on EU rights abuses

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a sharp rebuttal to a statement by Michael O’Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, condemning his remarks on judicial proceedings in Azerbaijan as “unacceptable, unfounded, and totally biased.”

In a commentary, Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada strongly rejected the Commissioner’s criticism, which pertained to recent court rulings and ongoing investigations in Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports citing Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.

“The mentioned statement is another ongoing unsuccessful attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan and judicial procedures,” Hajizada said, defending the country’s legal framework and commitment to international human rights standards.

“The human rights and fundamental freedoms are guaranteed and fully respected in the Republic of Azerbaijan in line with its national legislation and undertaken international commitments,” he added. “Furthermore, these rights and freedoms are protected by the well-established judicial institutions of Azerbaijan that are acting independently in fulfillment of their missions.”

The spokesperson emphasized that Azerbaijan operates under the rule of law and does not grant special privileges to individuals, regardless of their professional background. Referring to those named in the Commissioner’s statement, Hajizada stated: “The individuals mentioned in the statement of the HCR have been charged with serious violations of the relevant legislation, the respective investigations have been conducted strictly following the criminal procedural code, and all their rights before the court have been fully provided.”

He further urged the Commissioner to turn attention away from Azerbaijan and instead address pressing rights issues within the Council of Europe member states.

“We call on the HCR of the Council of Europe to refrain from interfering in the ongoing investigations or attempting to exert unacceptable pressure on the independent judicial bodies of Azerbaijan, and instead focus on multiple systematic problems in some other CoE countries in the field of human rights, rising Islamophobia, degrading treatment with migrants and asylum seekers, political persecution, the loss of lives in prisons, widespread corruption in European institutions and etc.”

By Vafa Guliyeva