CoE receives report on human rights violations in Nakhichevan

The international human rights organization "Norwegian Helsinki Committee" (NHC) has prepared a special report for the Council of Europe (CoE) on violations of human rights in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (NAR) of Azerbaijan. Last week, the report entitled "Azerbaijani 'Black Island': Violations of Human Rights in Nakhichevan" was widespread in Strasbourg at the PACE winter session by the special delegation organized by the "Rafto" Norwegian Foundation.

Berit Lindeman, head of the information division of the NHC, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the study was contributed by Azerbaijani and international human rights organizations.

The report estimates the NAR's political system and emphasizes that Vasif Talybov, head of the Supreme Majlis (parliament) of the NAR, has relative links with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev. "The authoritative methods of Nakhichevan leaders are compared with the regime established in Turkmenistan by Saparmurad Niyazov," says the report. It is also marked that Talybov controls two major holdings "Dzhakhan" and "Gemigaya", and also mass media of Nakhichevan.

Further the report runs about suppression of the civil society in the NAR, facts of violence applied to journalists and human rights activists, and criminal prosecution of them. The practice of placing unwanted persons into mental hospitals is especially marked.

The report also covers the latest events in Benanyar village, where in the end of last year local residents were arrested for participation in the religious ceremony on the Ashur Day - the mourning day of Shiite Moslems.

The report ends with recommendations on how to improve the situation in the NAR. "We urge the international community to pay more steadfast attention to the problem of human rights there. The PACE is recommended to appoint a Special Rapporteur for the NAR," Ms Lindeman said.