Calling for the Release of Bakhtiyar Hajiyev

We are deeply troubled that Azerbaijani activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev has remained in detention since the eve of International Human Rights Day, last December, and that he continues to face charges widely understood as politically motivated.  Mr. Hajiyev, who is on a hunger strike, is suffering from a severe deterioration in his health and risks going into a coma, according to an independent physician.  The United States calls for Mr. Hajiyev’s expeditious release and for the release of all persons incarcerated for exercising their fundamental freedoms.

The United States is strongly committed to advancing respect for human rights, supporting human rights defenders, and holding accountable those who commit human rights abuses.  We encourage all steps toward systemic reforms, especially those regarding the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in Azerbaijan and around the world.