The embassy of the United States expressed its concerns about actions taken by the government of Azerbaijan to prevent the peaceful assembly of opposition groups in central Baku on April 2, including the detention of opposition activists in the days before the planned protests.

“The U.S. calls on the government of Azerbaijan to respect the rights of all its citizens to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, which are guaranteed under the Azerbaijani Constitution and international human rights instruments, including OSCE commitments,” the embassy said in a statement.

“Respect for these rights is essential for promoting the sort of dialogue between citizens and their government that forms the basis for positive change and the deeper development of a culture of democracy in any society. We call for those detained in association with demonstrations to be afforded due process under the law, with open and transparent hearings and adequate access to legal counsel.”