House of oppositionist Tural Abbasly demolished in Azerbaijan

In Baku, the house, where the flat of Tural Abbasly, the head of the youth organization of the "Musavat" Party (now imprisoned), was located, has been demolished. Besides, his mother – Bashkhanym Abbasova, a member of the Civil Movement for Democracy "Public Chamber" (CMDPC) – was detained and taken to the 21^st station of the Nasimi District Police Department.

Tural Abbasly was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison in connection with the rally on April 2 in Baku, which was held by the CMDPC with a demand of democratic reforms and then was dispersed by the police.

"On December 18, at about 6:00 p.m., their house at No. 39 Samed Vurgun Street (the territory, where the authorities plan to build the "Winter Boulevard") was approached by employees of the Baku Mayoralty with workers and began demolishing the three-storey building, where the Abbasovs' apartment was on the top floor. Earlier, all other tenants had been evicted from the house," Ms Abbasova told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

When the woman began protesting against demolition, some 7-8 policemen grabbed her and brought to the 21^st station of the Nasimi District Police Department, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

"Despite the interference of rights defenders, I was released only at 4.00 a.m., when the house was already ruined," said Abbasova.

On December 9, Bashkhanym Abbasova signed a purchase-sale contract with the aim to further continue her struggle for restoration of rights in courts. However, the Abbasov family was not notified about the eviction. At the same time, foreseeing these developments, some members of the family had moved to a rented apartment.

According to Abbasova, in the course of forced eviction some of the family's property was stolen. Abbasova has announced her intention to seek compensation for material losses and moral harm. She treats the authorities' actions as "pressure on the family of the prisoner of conscience."

However, the Baku Mayoralty has denied any political pretext of demolition of the house, where the Abbasovs had lived.

The secretariat of the city's executive body has stated that the Abbasovs had been provided with compensation on the same grounds as to other citizens in this territory, and "they were warned about the demolition." The city officials explain the demolition of houses by the need to improve the territory and build the "Winter Boulevard".