Statement by the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan on Closure of the RFE/RL bureau in Baku
We are concerned by reports that employees of the RFE/RL bureau in Baku were detained in their offices and questioned while the premises were searched by law enforcement. The reasons for the questioning and search are unclear. We call on the responsible authorities to conduct a transparent investigation in keeping with the law and Azerbaijan’s international commitment to protecting media freedom. We hope that Azerbaijani authorities share our conviction that a free and independent press is critical to the well-being of the nation and will act in accordance with that belief.