ASAIF voices protest over Freedom House report
Baku, December 20 (AZERTAC). The International forum of Azerbaijani students and alumni (ASAIF) has made a statement over the recent report of Freedom House.
The statement in particular runs:
"The current report of Freedom House based on the information of separate groups of sources functioning at the order did not differ from others.
Some foreign circles, organizations that envy the comprehensive development of Azerbaijan and the growth of its international influence, continue the attempts to distort the realities of our country and form a false image of our country in the international community.
The organization of humanitarian forums, cultural and sport events in Azerbaijan on the international level recently annoys the forces that do not favor our country and by spreading such a false information, they cast shadow on the objectiveness of the organizations including Freedom House that make these reports.
The document also emphasizes that the reports of the organization exaggerate various events in Azerbaijan and they are presented as "facts" of human rights violation in the country.
"The 18th article of the Constitution notes the separation of religion and state, and equality of all religious beliefs before the law. However, Freedom House is trying to prove the restriction of religious freedom in Azerbaijan, inflating the hijab issue, reflecting its biased position", the statement says.
The statement also stressed Azerbaijan's accession to the European Convention in 2001, registration of up to 2,800 NGOs operating in different spheres, state care about NGOs, including those functioning in the youth area, free use of social networks by the country's population, the growing number of online newspapers and television channels, etc.
"One of the biggest conflict points in the report is an indication of Azerbaijan as 'not free', and Armenia as 'partly free'. Apparently, the authors of the report have not noticed violations of the rights and freedoms and the departure of many citizens of Armenia from the country for this reason", the report says.
Finally ASAIF calls on Freedom House to pay attention to the position of Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons and to review positioning of the country which violates the right of people for life as 'partly free'.
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