European human rights body says Azerbaijan must stop pressure on activists
(Reuters) - A European rights monitor urged Azerbaijan authorities on Tuesday to ensure that freedom of expression, association and assembly is respected and to halt pressure on human rights defenders.
Nils Muiznieks, human rights commissioner for the Council of Europe, made his plea after the detention and a nine-hour questioning of prominent human rights defender Leyla Yunus.
Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim former Soviet republic, has been governed by President Ilham Aliyev since he succeeded his father in 2003. It has been courted by the West because of its role as an alternative to Russia in supplying oil and gas to Europe.
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"As a member of the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan has the duty to comply with its human rights obligations and commitments."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/29/us-azerbaijan-rights-idUSBREA3S0WI20140429
"It has been courted by the West because of its role as an alternative to Russia in supplying oil and gas to Europe." and as such you'd be unlikely to find any criticism whatsoever coming out of the USA. Only "election observer" I've ever met was the mother of a Canadian dance friend who told me about when she and other observers were kicked out of Azerbaijan and the US didn't bat an eye lid.
At a later date US observers declared Azerbaijan's elections to be free and fair whilst the EU observers said at the same time they were the exact opposite.