Baku Urges Paris to Refrain from ‘Groundless’ Allegations Against Azerbaijan

Baku, The Gulf Observer: Azerbaijan has firmly rejected comments by the spokesperson of France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs regarding a travel warning issued for Azerbaijan, describing the allegations cited to justify the advisory as unfounded and unacceptable.

Commenting on the French position, Aykhan Hajizada, Head of the Press Service Department of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Baku “firmly condemns and rejects” the attempt by the French side to justify its September 17 travel warning by referring to alleged risks of arbitrary detention and unfair trials in Azerbaijan.

Hajizada said that presenting court proceedings conducted under Azerbaijani legislation in individual criminal cases as politically motivated, as well as attempts to interfere in Azerbaijan’s judicial system, were unacceptable.

He further criticized France for raising such allegations while, according to him, failing to take into account what Azerbaijan considers problems within France’s own law enforcement and penitentiary systems.

Hajizada also referred to what he described as France’s violations of international law and alleged practices involving racism, discrimination and restrictions on human rights.

He called on France to refrain from what Azerbaijan considers “groundless and biased allegations” against the country, respect Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and internal affairs, and end approaches that, he said, damage bilateral relations.

The comments come amid differences between Baku and Paris over diplomatic and judicial matters and follow France’s updated travel advisory concerning Azerbaijan.