Tweet
ALIYEV GIVEN A HARSH RECEPTION IN BERLIN
January 22, 2015 11:07
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and German Chancellor Angela
Merkel leave after a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin,
January 21, 2015.
Photo: REUTERS/Fabrizio
Yerevan /Mediamax/. After addressing a joint press conference with
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had
to leave the conference hall under "release the political prisoners"
chanting.
Ahead of Azerbaijani President's visit to Germany, a number of human
rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights
Watch, called upon Angela Merkel to exert pressure on Ilham Aliyev
demanding to release political prisoners. They recalled that only
in 2014, over 30 dissidents were imprisoned in Azerbaijan, Deutsche
Welle reports.
In Berlin, Aliyev was met by protesters who raised the photos
of political prisoners and posters saying "Stop tyrant Aliyev",
"Azerbaijan without political prisoners", "Stop assisting authoritative
regimes" etc.
"At the press conference, among other top priority issues for Germany,
Merkel also noted the human rights situation in Germany. Most probably,
Ilham Aliyev didn't consider the topic important as he didn't touch
upon it in his introductory speech. However, journalists reminded
the President about it asking whether Aliyev was not concerned about
the fact that Azerbaijan ranks the 160th on World Press Freedom
Index. Aliyev stated in response that all the rights and freedoms
are protected in Azerbaijan", the German magazine writes.
In her turn, Angela Merkel recalled that Azerbaijan is a Council of
Europe member which means that it is committed to ensure fundamental
freedoms and democratic principles.
"We think that in the human rights field, there are cases which evoke
our criticism", said Angela Merkel.
"However, the Azerbaijani President's mood was once and for all ruined
by one of the journalists. When the press conference was over and
Merkel and Aliyev were leaving the hall, he stood up to loudly chant:
"Release the political prisoners in Azerbaijan", Deutsche Welle writes.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/12922/#sthash.BJTGZLE5.dpuf
January 22, 2015 11:07
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and German Chancellor Angela
Merkel leave after a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin,
January 21, 2015.
Photo: REUTERS/Fabrizio
Yerevan /Mediamax/. After addressing a joint press conference with
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had
to leave the conference hall under "release the political prisoners"
chanting.
Ahead of Azerbaijani President's visit to Germany, a number of human
rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights
Watch, called upon Angela Merkel to exert pressure on Ilham Aliyev
demanding to release political prisoners. They recalled that only
in 2014, over 30 dissidents were imprisoned in Azerbaijan, Deutsche
Welle reports.
In Berlin, Aliyev was met by protesters who raised the photos
of political prisoners and posters saying "Stop tyrant Aliyev",
"Azerbaijan without political prisoners", "Stop assisting authoritative
regimes" etc.
"At the press conference, among other top priority issues for Germany,
Merkel also noted the human rights situation in Germany. Most probably,
Ilham Aliyev didn't consider the topic important as he didn't touch
upon it in his introductory speech. However, journalists reminded
the President about it asking whether Aliyev was not concerned about
the fact that Azerbaijan ranks the 160th on World Press Freedom
Index. Aliyev stated in response that all the rights and freedoms
are protected in Azerbaijan", the German magazine writes.
In her turn, Angela Merkel recalled that Azerbaijan is a Council of
Europe member which means that it is committed to ensure fundamental
freedoms and democratic principles.
"We think that in the human rights field, there are cases which evoke
our criticism", said Angela Merkel.
"However, the Azerbaijani President's mood was once and for all ruined
by one of the journalists. When the press conference was over and
Merkel and Aliyev were leaving the hall, he stood up to loudly chant:
"Release the political prisoners in Azerbaijan", Deutsche Welle writes.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/12922/#sthash.BJTGZLE5.dpuf