Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijan has a highly developed economy but there are serious issues with human rights and freedom of assembly in the country, the German rights commissioner said in Baku on Monday.

Markus Loning told a news briefing that during his three-day visit he would study the situation with human rights in Azerbaijan.

Loning expressed discontent that he could not meet earlier in the day with Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, a jailed young activist and former parliament candidate.

"Prior to arriving in Azerbaijan I stated that I wanted to meet with Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, but such a meeting was not authorized. Today, we went to the prison where Hajiyev is held, waited there for an hour and a half, but were not allowed to meet with him."

Loning claimed this was a violation, saying he would reflect it in his report on Azerbaijan.

The German rights champion also expressed concern over last week’s demolition of the office of the Institute of Peace and Democracy headed by rights defender Leyla Yunus. "No one should be deprived of their property rights," he said.

Regarding alleged cases of torture, Loning said that according to the Azerbaijan Committee Against Torture, 89 people reported such cases in the first half of 2011, which "could not but worry us."

Loning also voiced concern over the increase in crimes whose motives have not been ascertained. "Whereas there were four crimes committed for unascertained reasons in 2010, when we look at the first six months of 2011, we can see that their number has already reached six. I am concerned with that as well."

During his visit, Loning is due to meet with the head of the Presidential Administration’s foreign relations department Novruz Mammadov, opposition leaders and representatives of youth organizations.