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The United States expressed deep concern over the new amendments to the law on NGOs in Azerbaijan concerning the NGO registration processes as well as fines and funding, reports the correspondent of the Azerbaijani news agency "Turan" from Washington.

As noted in the article, Washington had also called on officials in Baku to start long-term discussions with the civil society, the OSCE Project Coordinator and the international experts in the frameworks of the joint efforts in ensuring the public policies and practices in accordance with the international law and OSCE commitments.

"Turan" reports that U.S. Ambassador to OSCE Daniel Baer stated at the Permanent Council in Vienna about the alarming changes in legislation and the continuing pressure on civil society and oppositionist activists in Azerbaijan.

As noted in the article, the law that restricts the funding of NGOs, was approved by the Azerbaijani Parliament at the end of the last year and was signed by the president earlier this month.

According to the ambassador Baer, these amendments have restricted the space for having free and independent civil society and contradict to Azerbaijan's commitments to the OSCE.

"We continue to closely follow the investigation process of the case of the head of Monitoring Election Centre Anar Mamedli, who is accused of illegal business activities and tax evasions. We fear that the Mammedli’s arrest is associated with the presidential elections’ monitoring," he noted.

The statement noted that the United States urges Azerbaijan to guarantee a fair trial over the case of Ilgar Mamedov, the leader of REAL and Tofig Yagublu, deputy chairman of "Musavat", who were arrested on charges of inciting Ismailly residents, as well as for the case of the activists of the youth movement NIDA, arrested in connection with the protests against deaths in non-combat situation in the Azerbaijani army.

"My government calls on the Azerbaijani government to cooperate with the civil society and interact with the OSCE to address the challenges that Azerbaijan faces and to fulfill its OSCE commitments," the ambassador stated.