Azernews.Az

BAKU – A senior Azerbaijani official has criticized the OSCE and US missions over their harsh response to the authorities’ handling of Saturday’s antigovernment rally in Baku, calling on diplomatic missions not to meddle in Azerbaijan’s affairs.

Ali Hasanov, head of the presidential administration's social and political affairs department, told local Trend news agency on Tuesday that though the public welcomed the law enforcers’ thwarting the unauthorized protest, the two missions expressed a different stance.

"We have never voiced our attitude toward protests staged by various forces in other countries, as we always considered this to be those countries’ internal affair. Therefore, it wouldn’t be bad if foreign representations acted in the frames of their mandates and did not interfere in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs."

Hundreds of opposition activists joined the rally in central Baku, organized by the Public Chamber umbrella opposition group, clashing with riot police. 70 people were detained during the unauthorized protest, according to official sources.

OSCE chairman Audronius Azubalis on Tuesday voiced concern over what he said was restrictions on freedom of assembly turning into a trend in Azerbaijan. Also, the US embassy in Baku issued a statement expressing its concerns about actions taken by the government "to prevent the peaceful assembly of opposition groups", calling on the government to respect freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.