Baku--An international row over Azerbaijan's rights record threatened Thursday to overshadow the opening of the inaugural European Games as Baku lashed out at criticism and foreign journalists said they were blocked from entering the country.
In a further bad sign for the games, three Austrian synchronised swimmers were injured -- one seriously -- when a shuttle bus hit them.
Energy-rich Azerbaijan has pumped vast resources into hosting the first edition of the European Games sporting extravaganza billed as Europe's answer to the Olympics from June 12-28, building state-of-the-art facilities in a bid to burnish its image.
But international and local rights activists have hoped that the glitzy event will draw the world's attention to the widespread rights abuses in the tightly-controlled ex-Soviet country.
The criticism has prompted an angry reaction from President Ilham Aliyev's government which denies accusations of abuses, dismissing the activists' claims as a smear campaign orchestrated from Western capitals.
"A platform has emerged in the West which regularly tries to convince everybody that basic rights and democratic principles are not respected in Azerbaijan," Ali Gasanov, a top advisor to Aliyev said at a press conference in Baku Thursday.
"Rule of law is being respected in Azerbaijan. All fundamental freedoms and rights are guaranteed. There are no political prisoners in Azerbaijan," he said.
Pro-government activists protested on Thursday outside the offices of the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the British embassy in Baku, denouncing "an unprecedented and dirty campaign of lies against Azerbaijan".
AFP
