Details added (first version posted on 17:48)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.2
Trend:
Azerbaijan is a state with independent domestic and foreign policy and no one has the right to make biased statements by interfering in the country's internal affairs, Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department said in an interview with AzerTAg news agency.
His remarks came as a response to the question about the statement of UK Minister for Europe David Lidington on court decision on Khadija Ismayilova's case.
"First of all, I would like to note that it is not the first time Lidington expresses such position on Azerbaijan," said Mammadov.
Although Lidington is a minister for Europe, it seems that every time he looks for a reason to make a biased statement on Azerbaijan and he has repeatedly done this, the top official added.
"Despite the fact that he is a minister for Europe, apparently, for some reason, he is more interested in the ongoing processes in Azerbaijan," said Mammadov. "He tries to be the first, he has decided to get ahead of other EU officials and did that."
In his statement, Lidington urges Azerbaijan to comply with the rule of law, said Mammadov, adding that however, the minister himself prefers to keep silent about the international law and obligations.
"A question arises: do those who talk about the rule of law have international obligations?" said Novruz Mammadov.
"Why does Lidington make subjective statements on Azerbaijan and expresses a position on behalf of the United Kingdom at every opportunity, however, he has never recalled and expressed position on Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and refugees over these years?" said the top official.
David Lidington is a minister for Europe and it would be better if he expressed a position on the ongoing processes in Europe, Mammadov said.
The minister would really have shown his impartiality if he made a statement on the rights of Julian Assange who has been deprived of all his rights for over three years and has taken refuge under the hatches, the top official added.
Furthermore, Mammadov said that the ongoing processes in Azerbaijan correspond to the country's law and the international law.
The person about whom Lidington made a statement was held liable for the criminal acts, Mammadov said, adding that the minister would better express a position on the processes related to media in Europe.
"Investigations show that Europe faces more offenses of law related to media representatives than other countries," said the top official.
As many as 931 cases against journalists have been registered in the EU member states and candidate states on various categories in the last eight months of 2015 only, he added.
"Of this, 23 cases were registered in the UK, 55 - in France, 61 - Germany, 28 - Spain, six - Portugal, seven - Austria, 73 - Italy and the rest - in other countries," said Mammadov.
"As for the essence of these cases, seven of them were related to death, 126 - physical punishment, 80 - arrest and 181 - censorship," he added. "Has Lidington ever made a statement on these cases?"
Novruz Mammadov said the EU is responsible for the recent processes related to migrants, for bringing them to the current crisis and for high death toll among the migrants.
"Analyzing these cases in terms of policy and human rights and making conclusions is the task number one for the EU structures," he said. "Lidington and other high-ranking officials would better address this issue."
Novruz Mammadov expressed regret that the representatives of the EU structures, which see themselves as heralds of freedom of media, as well as David Lidington has never talked about those issues.
"In that case, what is the purpose of those who look at the speck of sawdust in other's eye and pay no attention to the plank in their own eye?" Mammadov asked.
"All this is nothing but a proof of preconceived intentions," said the top official. "It would be appropriate to say that Azerbaijan is a country with independent domestic and foreign policy and no one has the right to make biased statements by interfering in the country's internal affairs."