The US Calls on Azerbaijan to Uphold Human Rights Enshrined in Its Constitution

The United States has announced that it is closely monitoring the situation regarding the arrest of opposition party leader Gubad Ibadoglu, as reported by TURAN.

“We are closely following the arrest of Gubad Ibadoglu. The United States remains committed to the principles of respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms,” said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller during a daily press briefing.

“We call on Azerbaijan to protect human rights and the fundamental rights of its citizens, including those of Gubad Ibadoglu, in accordance with Azerbaijan's constitution and international obligations,” Miller added.

Ibadoglu is the president of the Democracy and Prosperity Party of Azerbaijan, a respected economist (who recently worked at Rutgers University) and was arrested on July 23 on charges of money laundering after police announced that $40,000 in counterfeit bills had been found in his apartment in Baku, a place he had not lived. Ibadoglu, who recently returned to Azerbaijan after many years abroad, announced the creation of an educational fund for Azerbaijani youth in London last month alongside several other prominent Azerbaijani political figures and activists in exile.

The Azerbaijani government has also accused him of having ties to the terrorist organization of Fethullah Gülen, claims many consider absurd.