10:37, 4 September 2013

Azerbaijan: oppositionist collecting signatures for Djamil Gasanli complaints about pressure

Flags of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan at opposition rally. Baku, 2012. Photo by Aziz Karimov for the ‘Caucasian Knot’.

In Azerbaijan, Fazail Aliev, an activist of the Gazakh District organization of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), a disabled veteran of the Karabakh War, claims being subjected to pressure and threats in connection with participation in the campaign to collect signatures in favour of Djamil Gasanli, a presidential candidate from the opposition National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF).

According to the Fazail Aliev's story, he received threats on September 2.

"In the evening of Monday, at about 11:40 p.m., I was visited at my home by Kamandar Mamedov, a brother of the wife of the head of the administration of the Gazakh District, and Tarkhan Akhmedov, a nephew of the head of the district road police. I knew those persons, and so I agreed to go with them when they called me persistently 'on some business'. However, when they brought me to a desert terrain, they suddenly began to threaten me," Fazail Aliev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to the oppositionist's story, the threats were related to his political activities.

On September 3, Fazail Aliev filed a complaint to the police station of the Gazakh District, asking to conduct the investigation and punish the guilty persons.

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent