Azerbaijani diplomats refuse to communicate with protesters in Strasbourg

On November 15, activists of the AND movement held a picket in Strasbourg, demanding from Azerbaijani authorities to release political prisoners and respect the freedoms of speech and assembly. Employees of the Azerbaijani representative at the PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) failed to come out and talk to protesters.

About 20 activists of the organization "For Democracy in Azerbaijan" (AND) gathered in front of the Azerbaijani representative office in the Council of Europe.

"The aim of our action was to demand from Azerbaijani authorities to learn how to conduct policies under the standards of the civilized world: not to prosecute their opponents, and not to put them in jail, or under torture," Ganimat Zakhid, a co-chair of the AND, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Rakhim Gadjiev, another protester and an editor of the "Azadlyg" newspaper, has stated that "the Azerbaijani authorities' repressive policy spoils the country's image in the international arena." "They should finally understand that the world has been in the 21st century for 19 years already, where dissent is not suppressed; lies are not propagated; instead, conditions are set up for political pluralism," Mr Gadjiev.