The Press Service of the President has responded to the question by AZERTAC.

Question: The press release issued by the United States regarding the telephone conversation between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Ilham Aliyev yesterday noted that human rights were among the issues discussed during the phone call. How would you comment on that?

Answer: Indeed, various issues, including this one, were touched upon during the telephone conversation. President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that attempts to interfere in Azerbaijan's domestic affairs, under the pretext of human rights issues, were totally unacceptable. We reject the biased statements of some Western countries regarding this issue based on double standards. In this regard, the head of state reminded Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the arrests of opposition representatives in Armenia, even cases of fatalities during detention and human rights violations. The incomprehensible silence of Western countries regarding such incidents was emphasized, citing them as vivid examples of double standards.

During the telephone conversation, President Aliyev highlighted the case of prominent journalist Julian Assange, who has endured prolonged physical and psychological torture due to his journalistic activities. He noted ongoing discussions concerning Assange's extradition to the United States and the prospect of his execution. The head of state stressed the significance of addressing human rights concerns not only locally but on the global scale.