Human rights commissioner at the Council of Europe Nils Muiznieks addresses a news conference on the human rights situation of Syrian refugees in Berlin December 19, 2013. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz
TBILISI (Reuters) - Human rights are deteriorating in Azerbaijan, a European watchdog said on Wednesday, calling on the authorities to uphold regional standards and expressing concerns over what it says is a "worrying pattern" of abuse.
Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim former Soviet republic, has been governed by President Ilham Aliyev since he succeeded his father in 2003. It has been courted by the West because of its role as an alternative to Russia in supplying oil and gas to Europe.
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