The arrest of Leyla and Arif Yunusovs, Khadija Ismailova and Rauf Mirkadirov is not a tendency of civil society's norms and domestic policy Azerbaijan, Ali Hasanov, the Azerbaijani president's aide for public and political affairs, said in an interview with ANS TV channel.

Hasanov noted that Azerbaijan has more than 12,000 journalists and most of them successfully work freely.

"There are non-governmental organizations representing 3,500 representatives of adult population and the same number of young people in Azerbaijan. There are many human rights organizations, their leaders criticize the government of Azerbaijan not less than Leyla Yunus and others, but they are free", he said.

Ali Hasanov stressed that the arrest of 3-5 people due to various violations of the law at different times is not a tendency of civil society's norms and domestic policy Azerbaijan

"As for their release, Mr. President showed humanism, pardoned the majority of people arrested for various offenses or other acts, and the policy of pardoning has continued. This in no way can be based on will and demands of the international community. Azerbaijani civil society does all this because it is needed for the people of Azerbaijan", he added.

Ali Hasanov also noted that public policy of Azerbaijan is not carried out under the influence of any foreign forces. He added that today the norms of Azerbaijani civil society continue to develop.