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Azerbaijan has always cooperated constructively with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and its special procedure mandate-holders within the framework of their mandates, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev told APA on June 3, while commenting on UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Michel Forst’s statement.
“Therefore, such a statement undermining the spirit of cooperation is unclear, and this statement is part of an ordered campaign conducted by certain circles against Azerbaijan on the eve of the European Games,” Hajiyev said.
Hajiyev noted that although sports, as mentioned in the UN documents, should serve to unite the people and be free from politics, Michel Forst’s attempt to politicize sports runs contrary to the purposes and objectives of the Olympic Charter.
“This statement distorts the essence of the investigation casting shadow on the judicial system of Azerbaijan. The call for release of persons charged with specific criminal acts is legally groundless and violates the rule of law,” he added.
“If Michel Forst is so “principled” with regard to the issue of human rights, he must first speak about the rights of the Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced people, deprived of all their fundamental rights as a result of the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan”, stressed Hajiyev.
Michel Forst urged the Azerbajani government to release Intigam Aliyev, Anar Mammadli, Leyla Yunus, Arif Yunus, Rasul Jafarov and Khadija Ismail.
Apa.az
