Residents of about 30 houses in Baku evicted by force

Today, security officers of the state oil company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) forced to evict residents of houses at residential community of Sulu Tepe of the village of Khodjasan of the Binagadi District of Baku. Arrived vehicles started demolition of the houses.

According to Idrak Abbasov, an employee of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), who witnessed the incident, bulldozers were used for demolition of the houses. Idrak Abbasov has clarified that the houses around the school No. 313 and the new complex of buildings under construction of the Baku Branch of the Moscow State University named after Lomonosov were demolished.

According to the source, men in uniform, armed with rubber batons, broke into the houses through doors and windows and forced people into the streets, not letting them to take their belongings. "In total, about 30 houses were demolished," stated Idrak Abbasov.

According to the journalist's information, people have not been informed of demolition in advance. The people, who tried to resist, were beaten, the source has added. According to the journalist, his photographing was hindered, he was threatened verbally and his car was damaged.

When asked to comment on the situation, one of the SOCAR's staff members, who led the demolition of the houses, said that "the state action was under way."

No comments of SOCAR's staff members were obtained, since the working day has ended. Earlier, the company claimed that the territory of Sulu Tepe was located on its balance sheet and that the houses were built illegally. No compensation was offered to citizens.

Earlier, Rustamzal Ismailov, the deputy head of the Khidjasan municipality, claimed lack of clarity with regard to the issue on owner of the territory, where the houses in Sulu Tepe were spontaneously built. According to him, "the State Oil Company gave some land plots to foreign companies for use." However, the municipality does not know the exact information concerning the areas belonging to the oil company.