In Nakhichevan, human rights activist claims increasing pressure from authorities

In the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (NAR) of Azerbaijan Khyakimeldostu Mekhtiev, a local public activist, a regional correspondent of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), claims of incessant pressure on him. Khyakimeldostu Mekhtiev states that he is threatened by criminal prosecution.

Starting July 15, the activist, charged of illegal use of energy in his private nearby car wash, was switched out the electricity supply to the house in Djalil village of Sharur District.

On July 23 Khyakimeldostu Mekhtiev was invited to the Sharur District Prosecutor's Office, where the investigator declared the intention to initiate a criminal case against Khyakimeldostu Mekhtiev for plundering of electricity.

According to Mekhtiev's story in the interview to the "Caucasian Knot", he was asked to hire a lawyer, but the human rights activist answered that "there are no independent lawyers" in the NAR. The investigator also asked Mekhtiev to hand over his ID and foreign passport.

Khyakimeldostu Mekhtiev believes that pressure on him is politically motivated. "The investigator did not hide that. He asked why I cooperated with foreign organizations and received grants from them. But this is my legal right. I protect the citizens' rights and do not break any law," Mekhtiev said.

Khyakimeldostu Mekhtiev considers the requirement to hand over his foreign passport to be illegal and is not going to surrender: "Perhaps, they want to take my foreign passport in order to restrict my freedom of movement. I no longer go to the Prosecutor's Office until the formal summon will be sent. Till now I am being invited informally, through the representative of the executive power of the village."

Since the media reported on switching-out of electricity in the house and car wash of Mekhtiev, the executive authorities of Sharur District issued a statement which asserted that Mekhtiev used electricity illegally, without the installation of the meter.

Meanwhile, the international organization Reporters Without Borders, that advocates freedom of the press, condemned the NAR authorities for violation of rights of the IRFS regional correspondent Khyakimeldostu Mekhtiev.