US State Department interferences in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs, FM says
The statement made by the US State Department on Rasul Jafarov, co-founder and chairman of the Human Rights Club public association is beyond the limits of the law, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry official said.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend on April 17 that this statement is the interference in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs and it causes nothing but surprise.
Rasul Jafarov was sentenced to six and a half year of imprisonment by Baku Court of Grave Crimes on April 16.
He is charged under the articles "illegal entrepreneurship", "tax evasion" and "abuse of power" of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.
“The rule of law, the protection of freedom and independence of the judicial system is fully ensured in Azerbaijan,” said Hajiyev.
No one is persecuted for the political activities and views in Azerbaijan and the country fully complies with its international obligations, according to the spokesperson.
He said Jafarov was brought to trial for tax evasion, misappropriation and other illegal activities proven by the court.
Everybody is equal before the law and activities on protection of human rights do not exempt anybody from liability, Hajiyev added.
He reminded that Armenia has occupied Azerbaijani lands to the detriment of the international law, the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act. “The US, which urges for fulfilling the international obligations, first of all should demand from Armenia to fulfill its international obligations and withdraw its troops from Azerbaijan’s occupied territories.”
Armenia continues pursing its policy of aggression and occupation and holds provocative military exercises on Azerbaijan’s occupied territories, however, the US doesn’t express any opinion on this issue, Hajiyev added.
The US, which under the guise of the human rights protection, shows such interest in individual criminal activities, would better pay due attention to the restoration of rights of over a million of Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs who have been deprived of their fundamental rights and freedoms as a result of Armenian aggression and occupation, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
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