OSCE chief worried by ‘trend of curbing free assembly’ in Azerbaijan
BAKU – OSCE chairman Audronius Azubalis has voiced concern over what he said was restrictions on freedom of assembly turning into a trend in Azerbaijan and Russia.
"The guarantor of our safety is the freedom to express oneself, and not only in the form of free speech, but also in protests," Azubalis, Lithuania’s foreign minister, told an OSCE seminar in Vilnius on Tuesday. "Therefore… we should ensure freedom of assembly and equal access to the media for everyone."
Azubalis noted that everyone should be able to express their views freely, without the fear of beatings, detention or death.
The statement comes just days after an unauthorized rally in downtown Baku during which 70 people were detained, according to official sources.
The OSCE chairman brought up the mentioned issues during his official visit to Baku in mid-March. In his meetings he pointed to the importance of improving Azerbaijan’s election laws, ensuring media freedom and promoting dialog among political parties, saying the OSCE was ready to assist the country in these efforts.
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