Ruling party exec criticizes State Dept.
An executive of Azerbaijan`s ruling party has
condemned the US State Department`s recent criticism of human
rights practices in the country.
The statement by Siyavush Novruzov, deputy executive secretary of the New Azerbaijan Party, was made in parliament on Friday in response to the State Department`s annual report on human rights throughout the world that claimed Azerbaijan`s record was poor in 2008 and had even worsened in some areas.
Novruzov said the document, issued in late February, was both superficial and was based on outdated information. "If we pay close attention to the report, it is evident that the views expressed there were derived from the 2005 report."
Novruzov argued that those human rights issues pointed out as shortfalls in Azerbaijan are actually much worse in the United States.
He noted, further, that the report had been prepared on the basis of feedback from some local non-governmental organizations and rights groups and that alternate sources of information were not sought, terming this as unacceptable.
"When writing reports, they rely only on those NGOs they are allocating grants to. There are some areas cited in the report in which the situation in the U.S. is many times worse than it is here. The state, seeking to serve as a beacon of justice is, itself, committing injustice, thus violating the rights of other states and nations."
Novruzov said the rights report should be discussed in the Azerbaijani parliament and the legislature should appeal to the US State Department and Congress regarding the report.
MP Sabir Rustamkhanly, chairman of the Civil Solidarity Party, also blamed some international groups for a double standard approach toward Azerbaijan. He noted that Armenia and Georgia - the other two South Caucasus republics - are receiving 20 times more assistance from American and other international organizations. "The world community is failing to take into account the interests of Azerbaijan, whose lands are under [Armenian] occupation and which is playing a special role in ensuring European energy security."
The US State Department`s 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices claimed that the right of citizens to a peaceful transfer of power in Azerbaijan was restricted during the October presidential elections. It further said that freedom of assembly and religious freedoms were violated, while the media faced pressure in the country last year. It also said corruption is widespread in Azerbaijani courts and law enforcement agencies, and that violence against women, human trafficking, sexual exploitation and forced labor remained problems in the country.
The statement by Siyavush Novruzov, deputy executive secretary of the New Azerbaijan Party, was made in parliament on Friday in response to the State Department`s annual report on human rights throughout the world that claimed Azerbaijan`s record was poor in 2008 and had even worsened in some areas.
Novruzov said the document, issued in late February, was both superficial and was based on outdated information. "If we pay close attention to the report, it is evident that the views expressed there were derived from the 2005 report."
Novruzov argued that those human rights issues pointed out as shortfalls in Azerbaijan are actually much worse in the United States.
He noted, further, that the report had been prepared on the basis of feedback from some local non-governmental organizations and rights groups and that alternate sources of information were not sought, terming this as unacceptable.
"When writing reports, they rely only on those NGOs they are allocating grants to. There are some areas cited in the report in which the situation in the U.S. is many times worse than it is here. The state, seeking to serve as a beacon of justice is, itself, committing injustice, thus violating the rights of other states and nations."
Novruzov said the rights report should be discussed in the Azerbaijani parliament and the legislature should appeal to the US State Department and Congress regarding the report.
MP Sabir Rustamkhanly, chairman of the Civil Solidarity Party, also blamed some international groups for a double standard approach toward Azerbaijan. He noted that Armenia and Georgia - the other two South Caucasus republics - are receiving 20 times more assistance from American and other international organizations. "The world community is failing to take into account the interests of Azerbaijan, whose lands are under [Armenian] occupation and which is playing a special role in ensuring European energy security."
The US State Department`s 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices claimed that the right of citizens to a peaceful transfer of power in Azerbaijan was restricted during the October presidential elections. It further said that freedom of assembly and religious freedoms were violated, while the media faced pressure in the country last year. It also said corruption is widespread in Azerbaijani courts and law enforcement agencies, and that violence against women, human trafficking, sexual exploitation and forced labor remained problems in the country.
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