In Azerbaijan, independent journalist from Nakhichevan threatened with execution

For several days already Elman Abbasov, regional correspondent of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, is abused and threatened by telephone. The journalist links these threats with his human rights activities.

Since September 21, every day an unidentified man calls Abbasov home and threatens with execution. "He speaks either the dialect of Turkish Kurds or of Iranian Azerbaijanis. But it seems to me that he is a resident of Nakhichevan, skilfully imitating a foreigner. Irrespective of who takes the phone, I or members of my family, he starts swearing. Then, he promises to 'clear out' with me," Mr Abbasov said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

On September 22, a policeman told him that "they could not establish the complete number yet." But, under the first three digits of the number, the calls, allegedly, were made from the USA.
However, Abbasov is sure that the calls were local, not international. "By the noise background even calls from Baku are different. The sound of these calls was clear; I felt that the calling party was here, in Nakhichevan," he said.