Azerbaijan has been a member of the Council of Europe (CoE) since 2001 and has been timely and properly fulfilling its commitments to the CoE, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Jan. 21.

He made the remarks in Berlin at a joint press conference with Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The president said Azerbaijan has adopted many laws that meet the European standards. He also underscored that human rights in Azerbaijan are secured.

“These issues are being discussed within international organizations,” President Aliyev said. “There are problems in every country, including in Azerbaijan. The main thing is how they are solved and what the government’s intentions are.”

President Aliyev underscored that nobody is persecuted in Azerbaijan for criticism and opinion in general.

“I would like to once again say that the freedom of speech is fully secured in Azerbaijan. There are hundreds of media outlets in the country,” he added.

The president said that in a free country the freedom of speech can not be stifled.

“At the same time, I believe our achievement is that religious freedom is fully secured in Azerbaijan. The values of multiculturalism are protected in the country at a high level,” President Aliyev added.

He also said that Azerbaijan’s experience in this context is being explored by other countries.

“The representatives of all religions, all ethnic groups live in Azerbaijan as one family. There is no confrontation, no misunderstanding,” Ilham Aliyev said.

He went on to say that Azerbaijan has consciously chosen this path and the country is true to universal values.

President Aliyev expressed confidence that the discussion of these issues in the future will bring even greater contribution to the work in this area, additional steps will be taken in this direction, and reforms will be deepened.

“I would like to once again note that political reforms are being complemented by economic reforms,” the president said.

He added that a modern state is being built in Azerbaijan, which marks the 24th anniversary of its independence.

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