WASHINGTON. December 12, 2011
Azerbaijani-Americans for Democracy (AZAD) has issued a press-release commending US Secretary of State Clinton for mentioning Azerbaijan along with Zimbabwe among the states that violate human rights in her message for the International Human Rights Day on December 10. AZAD’s statement also criticized the response given by Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and Presidential Administration to Secretary Clinton’s remarks and questioned their legitimacy in representing the will and opinions of Azerbaijani people.
Below is the full text of AZAD’s press release:
Azerbaijani-Americans for Democracy commends the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for rightfully mentioning Azerbaijan among the states that violate human rights in her message for the International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2011. America’s moral leadership and assistance in the development of free and open societies in other countries serves vital US national interests and promotes lasting peace and global security. We call on the US government and all elected officials to continue expressing support for democracy in Azerbaijan and exert necessary pressure on the Azerbaijani authorities to stop the suppression of dissent and violations of fundamental human rights and liberties.
We are also aware that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and the Presidential Administration both expressed their dissatisfaction with Secretary Clinton’s remarks. Unfortunately, these officials did not provide any explanation for their government’s blatant disrespect towards the basic rights and freedoms of Azerbaijani citizens enshrined in the country’s constitution and Azerbaijan’s international obligations. Instead, they once again repeated the old propaganda talking points of the Azerbaijani government citing non-existent “rapid progress”, using security and energy cooperation as a bargaining chip to deflect the criticism on democracy, and shamefully hiding behind Azerbaijan’s refugees and the occupied territories as if that tragedy in any way can justify the oppression the Aliyev regime inflicts on the Azerbaijani people.
Let it be on record that neither Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry statements nor those by the Presidential Administration can be claimed to reflect the true sentiments of the people of Azerbaijan or Azerbaijanis around the world on this issue. As all elections in Azerbaijan under the current regime have been grossly falsified in favor of the ruling party and the authorities continue to prevent the citizens from freely expressing their views, the current government in Baku has no legitimacy to represent the will and opinions of the Azerbaijani people or any other group except for the members of the ruling regime themselves.
Azerbaijani-Americans for Democracy (AZAD)
Washington, DC, United States of America
December 12, 2011
