BAKU - The United States expressed concern here Friday at the recent detention and arrest of some 30 members of Azerbaijan's fledgling opposition ahead of a planned anti-government rally, saying the move jeopardized the legitimacy of upcoming elections.
"Unfortunately, the recent detention and arrest of over 30 members of the opposition cast doubt on the Azerbaijani government's commitment to implementing the president's decree," the US embassy said in a statement.
It was referring to a decree issued by President Ilham Aliyev last week calling on authorities nationwide to take whatever steps needed to ensure parliamentary elections next November were free and fair.
"Such actions undermine the spirit and the letter of the president's decree," the statement added.
The embassy said the United States joined the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in expressing its concern over the authorities' decision to ban an opposition rally scheduled for Saturday.
"The US embassy calls on the authorities to guarantee that the right of the people to freely assemble ... is protected," it said.
05/20/2005 12:46 GMT