Georgiancapital

The European Union has urged Azerbaijan to release detained opposition figures, in an apparent reference to the alleged abduction and arrest of a journalist critical of Baku and the detention of an opposition politician. The statement on June 4 did not mention names but came after journalist Afqan Muxtarli was kidnapped in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, on May 29 and the arrest of opposition politician Gozal Bayramli. The EU statement said “a review by Azerbaijan of any and all cases of incarceration related to the exercise of fundamental rights, including the freedom of expression, and immediate release [of] all of those concerned is urgent. “We expect that the due process of law is respected, as well as the civil and political rights of citizens and those residing legally in states other than their own”, it added. The EU also said it welcomed the Georgian government’s announcement that it would investigate the alleged kidnapping. Tbilisi denies it was involved in the case