BAKU: Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rebuked the United States for allegedly using human rights issues as leverage to interfere in the country’s internal matters, including its judiciary and investigative processes. This assertion was made by Aykhan Hajizada, the Head of the Press Service Department of the Ministry, in a statement on the social media platform X, as reported by APA.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Hajizada emphasized that fundamental rights and freedoms are fully protected in Azerbaijan. He drew parallels between Azerbaijan and the United States, noting that in both nations, individuals serving sentences for criminal offenses are treated according to the laws governing penal regimes, without discrimination.

Hajizada further criticized what he described as “groundless public demands” from certain foreign governments and politicians. He argued that calls for the release of individuals convicted on criminal charges, based on political preferences, undermine genuine commitmen
t to the rule of law in Azerbaijan.