European Games spotlights human rights issues in Azerbaijan

European Games spotlights human rights issues in Azerbaijan
European Games spotlights human rights issues in Azerbaijan

European Games spotlights human rights issues in Azerbaijan

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The central Asian country of Azerbaijan will kick off the very first European Games on June 12th. The Olympic-styled “Europe only” event will draw thousands of athletes to the capital of Baku. Meanwhile, the Azeri government is under scrutiny for continued human rights and civil liberties abuses. Human rights observers note that critics of President Ilham Aliyev have been jailed or are in hiding. Aliyev, in return, accuses western critics of having “double standards.” We talk about civil society issues, the Games, and other regional issues in Azerbaijan with Giorgi Gogia, South Caucasus researcher for Human Rights Watch. He specializes in the countries of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. (Photo: Flickr/Jens Aarnstein Holm)