Despite the campaign to discredit the global-scale event – the First European Games – Azerbaijan didn’t reduce its efforts towards holding this event, said the appeal adopted by the participants of the round table dedicated to the European Games.

The round table was held at the initiative of influential human rights organizations of Azerbaijan and with information support of Trend Agency.

The round table was attended by the heads of humans rights organizations holding various positions, including, the heads of Azerbaijan Foundation for Democracy Development and Human Rights Protection, Oil Workers’ Rights Protection Organization, Society for Humanitarian Research in Azerbaijan, Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan and Legal Assistance Public Union..

An appeal was adopted following the discussions during the round table.

The participants of the round table assessed the Games as a significant event for Azerbaijan.

“The European Games will be held soon and holding of these Games will open broad opportunities for popularizing Azerbaijan,” said the appeal.

Discussing the criticism against the European Games, the leading human rights activists who have contributed to the strengthening of the statehood, freedom of speech and human rights since the period of gaining independence by Azerbaijan till now, said that the attempts to link the holding of the Games with the problems in the human rights sphere in the country are inadmissible.

“It is regrettable that after the futile initiative of boycotting the first European Games in Azerbaijan, various international circles are using the issue of human rights as a means for ensuring their interests,” the statement said.

“As the heads of the organizations, dealing with the protection of human rights in Azerbaijan, we always voiced similar issues, tried to contribute to their solution by sending critical messages and proposals to the state organizations,” the statement said.

This campaign against Azerbaijan strikes a great blow to the effectiveness of the activity of the human rights defenders, who achieved the results in solving the issues through a dialogue, said the appeal.

“As the human rights activists, playing a major role in the life of society and the country, we urge everyone to spare no effort for the successful holding of the European Games,” the appeal said. “We believe that this is a sports event and it will become a significant and historic event for the country. “

Baku 2015 is the first-ever European Games, an exciting and innovative multi-sport event for the continent that will take place on June 12-28, 2015.

There will be a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe will be representing their nations over 17 days of competition.

Baku was awarded the games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012.