Freedom House is concerted over situation with human rights in Azerbaijan and called for international attention to the dismal climate for press freedom in Azerbaijan which is scheduled to host the first-ever European Games on June 12,  new president of Freedom House Mark Lagon said.

“We’re very concerned that western governments, not because of their desire for access to energy or cooperation on counter-terrorism and security issues, fail to identify the squeeze on civil society…  The Freedom the Press report indicates similarly that media are being restricted more in Azerbaijan today than in the past,” contact.az quotes Lagon.

Lagon said, the “world needs to be aware of the fact that too often hosting international games by the countries with fragile democracy is used for prestige while construction of the buildings for this games do not benefit the people.”

“I’m worried about that all these cases of governments that have poor human rights records hosting international games and seeking to have prestige from it...  Winter Olympics in Russia is the classic example of that; Summer Olympics in Beijing is example of that. I would add Azerbaijan also to that list,” he said.