A group of Czech NGOs has written an open letter to top Czech officials urging them to prioritize human rights in their meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during his upcoming April visit to Prague, RFE/RL reported.

The letter, signed by the NESEHNUTÍ Independent Social Ecological Movement, People in Need, and the DEMAS Association for Democracy Assistance and Human Rights, is addressed to Czech President Miloš Zaman, Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek, and Senate President Milan Štěch.

Specifically, the NGOs urged the three officials to call for greater legal protection for freedom of expression, assembly, and association, as well as an end to politically motivated trials – including the case of detained Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center Chairman Anar Mammadli. Further, they called for a public press conference to enable an open discussion with Aliyev.

ANN.Az