Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.27
By Seba Aghayeva - Trend:
Acting spokesperson of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmet Hajiyev has commented on the remarks made by President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz on Azerbaijan at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry urged Martin Schulz to focus on the events in US city of Ferguson, as well as the facts of violence by the police in Brussels, Belgium and other European countries, Hajiyev told Trend on Nov.27.
"Some points in the speech of the European Parliament president, relating to Azerbaijan, cause regret and bewilderment," the acting spokesperson said.
In his speech at the plenary session of the European Parliament on Nov.26, Schulz demanded the Azerbaijani government to release NGO head Leyla Yunusova.
Hajiyev said that alongside with other charges, Leyla Yunusova is also charged with the most serious crime - high treason - and the investigation into her case continues.
"Interference in the investigation process is the violation of the principle of the rule of law."
Martin Shultz also expressed protest to Azerbaijani authorities for not allowing the European Parliament delegation, which was instructed to meet with Yunusova, to visit the country.
Hajiyev said Azerbaijan's official state structures haven't received any appeal regarding the visit of the European Parliament delegation to Azerbaijan, adding that regretfully, Schulz distorted the facts while talking about this issue.
Hajiyev said there are enough problems with human rights in the countries which fall under the mandate of the European Parliament, adding that these problems include the rise of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, ethnic conflicts, police violence, as well as the facts of violations of migrants' rights.
"Martin Schulz would be better to focus on these problems, including the events in Ferguson, police violation and cases of disproportionate use of force in Brussels and other European countries," Hajiyev said.