Baku: security service prevents Ali Kerimli and Leyla Yunus from meeting OSCE PA delegation

In Azerbaijan, local security agents have disrupted the meeting of Ali Kerimli, the leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), with a group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who came to Baku to hold a session of the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe). Kerimli has himself reported about it, stating, however, that he still managed to meet three MEPs in a Baku cafe. Also, Leyla Yunus, the Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), was not allowed to participate in the session.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the 23rd Session of the OSCE PA opened in Baku on June 28 and will run till July 2.

The Kerimli's meeting with a group of MEPs was appointed for June 30 at the Fairmont Hotel, where the session is taking place. Let us note here that on that day the session held special hearings on human rights. After some time the meeting was interrupted by security agents – the demanded from Kerimli to leave the building.

In his opinion, the MEPs could eyewitness the whole insincerity of Azerbaijani authorities, who organize conferences on tolerance in the country, but are in fact hostile to the opposition.

Leyla Yunus, the IPD Director, said that on June 28, the first day of the session, she also was not allowed to enter this building.