Euronews journalist’s question to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about dictatorship in the country was loaded with an accomplished fact, head of Yerevan Center for Democracy and Peace Armen Minasyan told the journalists on Feb. 8 commenting on Aliyev’s recent interview.

According to him, Azeri President did not refute the assessments merely demonstrating his negative attitude towards them. “Stumped for an answer, Aliyev gave emotional coloring to his statements, blaming the world of groundless criticism. And all this occurs in a European state where audience do not have literal perception of the statements that Freedom House or Human Rights Watch etc point to in terms of massive human rights breaches in order to pressure Azerbaijan,” Minasyan added.

Minasyan deems that after this answer Euronews journalist’s questions became more ironic, whereas Aliyev was getting more nervous giving inadequately replies. “For instance, the journalist asked why opposition in Azerbaijan does not stand a fair chance, whereas Aliyev’s opponents are silenced. Azerbaijani president replied: &‘Well, it’s up to the people to decide.’ Can you imagine journalists’ reaction when she asks about silencing her colleagues and gets answer that it is people’s choice. Aliyev was openly mocking at her and journalist parried whether he thinks himself a king. Despite Aliyev replied in the negative, neither reporter, nor audience were convinced of this answer,” Minasyan concluded.

A.G.